Venice, Florida | |
|---|---|
 Venice's Beachfront from Humphris Park | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: Shark Tooth Capital of the World[1] | |
| Motto: "City on the Gulf"[2] | |
 Location inSarasota County and the state of Florida | |
| Coordinates:27°6′N82°26′W / 27.100°N 82.433°W /27.100; -82.433 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Sarasota |
| Settled | |
| Incorporated |
|
| Named after | Venice, Italy |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Nick Pachota |
| • Vice mayor | Jim Boldt |
| • Council Members | Kevin Engelke, Rachel Frank, Rick Howard, Ron Smith, |
| • City Manager | Edward Lavallee |
| • City Clerk | Kelly Michaels |
| Area | |
• City | 17.78 sq mi (46.05 km2) |
| • Land | 16.13 sq mi (41.77 km2) |
| • Water | 1.65 sq mi (4.28 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 25,463 |
• Estimate (2022) | 27,272 |
| • Density | 1,578.7/sq mi (609.54/km2) |
| • Metro | 833,716 (US: 71st) |
| • Metro density | 542/sq mi (209/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 34275, 34284–34287, 34290–34293 |
| Area code | 941 |
| FIPS code | 12–73900[6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0292749[7] |
| Website | venicegov.com |
Venice is a city inSarasota County, Florida, United States. The city includes what locals call "Venice Island", a portion of the mainland that is accessed via bridges over the artificially createdIntracoastal Waterway. The city is located inSouthwest Florida.[8] As of the2020 Census, the city had a population of 25,463,[9] up from 20,748 at the 2010 Census.[10] Venice is part of theNorth Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The area that is now Venice was originally the home ofPaleo-Indians, with evidence of their presence dating back to 8200 BCE.[11] As thousands of years passed, and the climate changed and some of the Pleistocene animals that the Indians hunted became extinct, the descendants of the Paleo-Indians found new ways to create stone and bone weapons to cope with their changing environment. These descendants became known as theArchaic peoples. Evidence of their camps along with stone tools were discovered in parts of Venice.[12] Over several millennia the culture and people who lived in the area changed. The peoples who the Spanish encountered when they arrived in 1500s weremound-builders. Venice lay in a boundary area between two cultures, theTocobaga and theCalusa, and thus evidence of each can be found in the area.[13]
The 1870s is when the area saw the first significant wave of white settlers.[3] Venice was first known as "Horse and Chaise" because of a carriage-like tree formation that marked the spot for fishermen.[3] During the 1870s, Robert Rickford Roberts established a homestead near a bay that bears his name today, Roberts Bay.[14] Francis H. "Frank" Higel, originally from France, arrived in Venice in 1883 with his wife and six sons. He purchased land in the Roberts' homestead for $2,500, equivalent to $84,000 in 2024[15], to set up his own homestead. Higel established a citrus operation involving the production of several lines of canned citrus items, such as jams, pickled orange peel, lemon juice, and orange wine.[16] Higel established a post office in 1885 with the name Eyry as a service for the community's thirty residents. In February he was appointed aspostmaster but the office was shut down months later, in November 1885, with services moving back toOsprey. In 1888, another post office was established, this time with the name "Venice", a name Higel himself suggested because of its likeness to thecanal city in Italy.[3][17][18]
During theFlorida land boom of the 1920s,Fred H. Albee, an orthopedic surgeon renowned for his bone-grafting operations, bought 112 acres (45 ha) fromBertha Palmer to develop Venice.[14] He hiredJohn Nolen to plan the city and create a master plan for the streets. Albee sold the land to theBrotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and retained Nolen as city planner. The first portions of the city and infrastructure were constructed in 1925–1926.[19]
In 1926, a fire department was formed with thirty-two volunteers. In that same year, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers purchased a newAmerican LaFrance fire engine fromMoore Haven that had been damaged in theGreat Miami Hurricane.[20]
The first library was also founded in 1926 by the Venice-Nokomis Women's Club. This "library" was a few books on a shelf in a local store. The library had several temporary homes until 1965 when the Venice Area Public Library was built.[21][22] This building remained in use until it was demolished in 2017 due to mold. A new library was constructed in 2018 called the William H. Jervey Jr. Venice Library, named after a benefactor of the new building.[23]
On July 1, 1926, it was officially incorporated as the "Town of Venice", and on May 9, 1927, amended its Charter to change its name to the "City of Venice".
On October 9, 2024,Hurricane Milton made landfall just north of Venice, nearSiesta Key, where Venice was near the ground zero of the hurricane's worst storm surge and high winds. Milton came less than two weeks afterHurricane Helene caused several feet of storm surge throughout the city of Venice.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.6 square miles (43.1 km2), of which 15.3 square miles (39.5 km2) is land and 1.4 square miles (3.5 km2), or 8.19%, is water.[10] The climate of Venice is humid subtropical, bordering very closely on a tropical savanna climate, thus featuring pronounced wet and dry seasons.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild winters. According to theKöppen climate classification, the City of Venice has ahumid subtropical climate zone (Cfa).
| Climate data for Venice, Florida, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1927–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) | 89 (32) | 90 (32) | 95 (35) | 98 (37) | 100 (38) | 100 (38) | 99 (37) | 99 (37) | 97 (36) | 91 (33) | 89 (32) | 100 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 83.3 (28.5) | 84.1 (28.9) | 86.9 (30.5) | 90.1 (32.3) | 93.9 (34.4) | 95.4 (35.2) | 95.5 (35.3) | 96.1 (35.6) | 94.8 (34.9) | 92.5 (33.6) | 88.1 (31.2) | 84.3 (29.1) | 96.9 (36.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 72.4 (22.4) | 75.0 (23.9) | 77.9 (25.5) | 82.5 (28.1) | 87.3 (30.7) | 89.9 (32.2) | 91.5 (33.1) | 91.5 (33.1) | 90.0 (32.2) | 85.8 (29.9) | 80.0 (26.7) | 75.0 (23.9) | 83.2 (28.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 62.0 (16.7) | 64.6 (18.1) | 67.7 (19.8) | 72.5 (22.5) | 77.5 (25.3) | 81.4 (27.4) | 82.9 (28.3) | 83.1 (28.4) | 81.6 (27.6) | 76.6 (24.8) | 69.9 (21.1) | 64.9 (18.3) | 73.7 (23.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 51.6 (10.9) | 54.2 (12.3) | 57.5 (14.2) | 62.5 (16.9) | 67.8 (19.9) | 72.9 (22.7) | 74.3 (23.5) | 74.7 (23.7) | 73.2 (22.9) | 67.5 (19.7) | 59.7 (15.4) | 54.8 (12.7) | 64.2 (17.9) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 34.3 (1.3) | 37.7 (3.2) | 42.9 (6.1) | 50.3 (10.2) | 59.1 (15.1) | 68.3 (20.2) | 70.8 (21.6) | 71.5 (21.9) | 68.6 (20.3) | 54.9 (12.7) | 46.2 (7.9) | 39.8 (4.3) | 32.7 (0.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 23 (−5) | 26 (−3) | 31 (−1) | 38 (3) | 49 (9) | 56 (13) | 62 (17) | 65 (18) | 60 (16) | 36 (2) | 29 (−2) | 22 (−6) | 22 (−6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.68 (68) | 2.00 (51) | 2.97 (75) | 2.47 (63) | 3.25 (83) | 7.81 (198) | 7.39 (188) | 8.34 (212) | 7.16 (182) | 3.35 (85) | 1.54 (39) | 2.31 (59) | 51.27 (1,302) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 7.5 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 12.2 | 14.9 | 16.0 | 14.4 | 8.1 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 107.3 |
| Source: NOAA[24][25] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 309 | — | |
| 1940 | 507 | 64.1% | |
| 1950 | 727 | 43.4% | |
| 1960 | 3,444 | 373.7% | |
| 1970 | 6,648 | 93.0% | |
| 1980 | 12,153 | 82.8% | |
| 1990 | 16,922 | 39.2% | |
| 2000 | 17,764 | 5.0% | |
| 2010 | 20,748 | 16.8% | |
| 2020 | 25,463 | 22.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[26] | |||
| Race | Pop 2010[27] | Pop 2020[28] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 19,762 | 23,466 | 95.25% | 92.16% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 113 | 172 | 0.54% | 0.68% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 24 | 29 | 0.12% | 0.11% |
| Asian (NH) | 152 | 244 | 0.73% | 0.96% |
| Pacific Islander orNative Hawaiian (NH) | 3 | 5 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Some other race (NH) | 14 | 62 | 0.07% | 0.24% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 129 | 540 | 0.62% | 2.12% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 551 | 945 | 2.66% | 3.71% |
| Total | 20,748 | 25,463 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 25,463 people, 12,521 households, and 6,810 families residing in the city.[29]
In 2020, there was a population of 25,41.2% of the population were under 5 years old, 6.4% were under 18 years old, and 61.9% was 65 years and older. 3,204 veterans lived in the city and 9.5% of the population were foreign born persons. 54.6% of the population were female persons.
In 2020, the median household income was $61,953 with a per capita income of $60,284. 6.8% of the population lived below thepoverty threshold. 90.9% of the households had a computer and 81.3% had a broadband internet subscription.
As of the2010 United States census, there were 20,748 people, 11,143 households, and 5,926 families residing in the city.[30]
Venice has been called the "Shark's Tooth Capital of the World",[31] and hosts an annual Shark's Tooth Festival to celebrate the abundance of fossilized shark's teeth on its coastal shores.[citation needed]
The following structures and areas are listed on theNational Register of Historic Places:
Venice Gondolier Sun is a newspaper published twice weekly; it has a circulation of 13,500.[33][34]
WVEA-TV is licensed to Venice, is based inTampa, and broadcasts fromRiverview.
Passenger railroad service, served by theSeaboard Coast Line, last ran to the station in 1971, immediately prior to theAmtrak assumption of passenger rail operation.[35] Previously Venice was one of the Florida destinations of theOrange Blossom Special.[36]
Venice Municipal Airport is located 2 miles (3.2 km) from the central business district and is primarily used by chartered and private jets as well as small personal aircraft.
Venice is patrolled by the Venice Police Department. The department has special units for bike patrols, traffic patrols, and boat patrols. There are 76 members of the police department serving in three divisions: administration, patrol, and criminal investigations.[37]
Municipalities and communities ofSarasota County, Florida,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | †This populated place also has portions within the city limits of North Port, ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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