Venice

Venice, Florida's Gulf Coast sunshine community, has been called the Sharks' Tooth Capital of the World. Prehistoric shark teeth wash up on the miles of renourished Gulf of Mexico beachfront. These rare fossilized treasures are harvested by beachgoers, residents and divers who frequent the offshore coral reef. Some of the teeth measure four inches in length. They are incorporated into jewelry displayed by area craftsmen at the annual shark tooth and seafood festivals and local arts and craft shows.

Although Venice is less than 100 years old, native Americans inhabited the region 12,000 years ago. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, Dr. Fred Albee, a New York physician, came to what is now the Venice with a dream of development, a dream that wasn't realized until the Seaboard Railroad arrived in the early 1920s. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers changed the history of the area in 1925 when the union selected Venice as the hub of its retirement community. Many of today's streets and avenues were carved from those original plans. The specification that all construction be Italian Renaissance in style gave the town its distinct and continuing character. Venice wears its historic and architectural heritage with pride. When the Intracoastal Waterway was completed in the 1960s, Venice truly became an island community worthy of its namesake city in Italy.

Venice is a nice place to live. Residents revel in its wonderful climate, low crime rate, numerous nearby cultural activities and beautiful beaches.

Home Sweet Home

The Venice area is comprised of five communities (from Osprey in the north to South Venice) occupying approximately 80 square miles. The Venice Area Board of Realtors reports these average prices for single-family homes and condominiums: two- and three-bedroom single-family homes, $87,811 and $155, 662 respectively; two- and three-bedroom condominiums, $89,609 and $135,139 respectively.

Population: 303,400
Median age: 51.2
New citizens: 4,760 yearly
New job creation: 3.7 percent (1999)
Unemployment rate: 1.9 percent August, 1999
Cost of living: 101.26 percent (U.S. average: 100 percent)
Per capita income: $35,062
Median household income: $34,448

Class Notes

Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm). There you'll discover everything you'll need to know about Florida schools -- in general and in particular. All you need is the name of your county and the names of the schools students from your neighborhood attend.

Use links from the DOE home page for general information about entrance requirements, immunizations and so forth.

For the nitty-gritty details that really matter, click on the logo for the "Florida School Indicators Report."

Shop 'til You Drop

The heart of Venice is the downtown area that enchants newcomers and visitors with the beauty of its parklike setting. Gala parades, including at least one boat parade, are commonplace. Residents and tourists relish the opportunity to share in the camaraderie of free street dances and alfresco box-lunch concerts near the city's picturesque gazebo. Shop 'til you drop takes on a new meaning with blocks of specialty shops and an entire street devoted to antique shops. Sidewalk sales and outdoor cafes often satisfy the appetites of passersby. Walkways, benches and picnic tables offer rest and refuge after shopping the palm-lined avenues.

Great Outdoors

Casey Key to the north boasts miles and miles of pristine beachfront flanked by winding roadways and protected wildlife. On the island, one of its attractive public beaches features a kite-shaped, eye-catching pavilion in close proximity to the quaint downtown. Venice's location near the Gulf makes it truly a "walk to the beach" community. Undeveloped and protected Caspersen Beach appeals to sun worshippers and nature lovers. Surfers and fishermen prefer South Jetty Park, at the inlet between the north end of Venice and the south end of Casey Key.

Good Sports

Golf, the community's major leisure activity, is certainly above par. The Tournament Players Course hosts a yearly PGA tour event, while a local Celebrity Classic is held to benefit area charities. Numerous public and private courses designed by some of the nation's most respected golf course architects, dot the area. Nor is Venice an exception to Florida's love affair with boats. Pleasure boating and fishing are favorite recreational activities in the Gulf of Mexico and in the miles of bays and estuaries. Charters are readily available for deep-sea fishing or for participating in the world's largest tarpon fishing tournament.

Hot Times in the City

Popular cultural events are held at local parks and at the 700-seat Venice Community Center. The Venice Little Theatre is known throughout southwest Florida for its Broadway-style productions. It's one of the most successful nonprofit community theaters in the state.

College Scene

Manatee Community College, founded in 1985, is a fully accredited, multicampus institution dedicated to higher education. The two-year, public and coed school's south campus in Venice serves over 1,500 full- and part-time students and specializes in such high-tech fields as computers, lasers, robotics and telemetry.

(c) 1996 Florida Association of Realtors