FALL 2024

Contents

• President's Letter
• Calendar of Events
• Venice Train Depot Campus
• Volunteer Opportunities
• VAHS Salutes
• Collection Acquisitions
• Collection Highlights
• VAHS Traveling Exhibition
• Pop-Up Meet-Up
• Community Connections

• Betty Intagliata Lecture Series
• Speakers Bureau
• Around Town
• History:  Did You Know?
• Certificate of Distinction
• Venice Centennial Celebration
• Welcome New Members
• Welcome New Nonprofits
• VAHS Business Members
• Membership & Volunteer Application

President's Letter

Fall 2024

Frank Wright, President

Greetings!

Well, after scoffing at the "experts," who in May forecasted a greater number of hurricanes than normal this season, and to have only one named storm of little consequence through the middle of September - then came Helené (Hellonwheels)!  Even though the eye missed us, the storm surge wiped out the South Jetty, wrecked most of our beaches, and even flooded a good portion of the Golden Beach neighborhood.  It is not nice to scoff at Mother Nature!

The Society has been busy during the summer, as this newsletter details.  I want to highlight some initiatives, though.  The Pop-Up Meet-Up events have been highly successful; new contacts are made, old friends reunited, and we are reminded our love of history replenishes us all.

I hope you were able to enjoy the "VAHS Traveling Exhibition" Board Director Bill Haberthur put together from stored items in our collection and put on display at both the Jacaranda Library and the Jervey Library this summer.  The displays garnered rave reviews from patrons and staff at both libraries.  Bill has arranged to continue these exhibits as space or interest becomes available.

VAHS also created "Flat Carl" - a life-sized cardboard cutout of a KMI Cadet which will be photographed at various locations in Venice, and viewers on Facebook will be asked to identify "Where in the world (Venice) is Carl?"

I also want you to know the Society hosted a "Coffee Connections" event on September 12th for the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce at the Train Depot, which was attended by seventy-five chamber members.  Most of those attending had never been to the Depot.  It was a great opportunity to introduce them to the Depot Campus and VAHS, and our efforts to keep history alive.

Sincerely,

Frank Wright

President

Calendar of Events

For upcoming events, future lectures, and tour dates for the Historic Venice Train Depot and the Circus Car, please click the website button below.

Venice Train Depot Campus

In the third quarter of 2024 VAHS welcomed over 250 "passengers" to the Venice Train Depot Campus, helping us to ‘Celebrate History’ through the eyes of this depot.

The Circus Car Museum was once again our most popular venue with over 135 visitors.

Our volunteer docents guide visitors through both the train depot and the circus car.  In the third quarter of 2024, the docents covered nearly 80 hours of volunteer service during our regular public hours.

We are now actively enrolling new volunteer Docents to begin training.  This is a perfect time to join, get trained, and be ready for when our annual visitors flock back to Venice.

Effective November 1st, we will be back to our seasonal schedule of 10:00 am until 1:00 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

For more information, please click on the docent button below.

Volunteer Opportunities

For an overview of volunteer opportunities available as a VAHS member, please click the button below. 

For more information, please click the email button below.

VAHS Salutes - National Nonprofit Day

The Venice Area Historical Society celebrated National Nonprofit Day on Saturday, August 17, 2024, by soliciting donations to assist with the general operation of the Depot Campus.

The Depot Campus includes the Historic Venice Train Depot, the Circus Train Car, and the Caboose.

VAHS is very appreciative of all the donations it received.

Please remember, donors with cumulative giving of $500 or greater this calendar year will be invited to a Donor Appreciation Event in early 2025.

VAHS Salutes - Ed Gates

Ed Gates at the 1927 Historic Venice Train Depot

After a long and meaningful tenure as a Board Member, a Docent, and as the Depot Docent Trainer, Ed Gates has announced he is stepping down as Depot Docent Trainer.

Ed developed the Depot Docent Training Guide, which he happily presented to most of the existing Docent staff.  As Docent responsibilities expanded to include the Caboose and the Circus Car, Ed was also the first to refer the Depot area as the Depot Campus, a term we continue to use.  His contribution to the success of our Docent team is much appreciated and will be missed.

Ed, thank you for all you have done. We wish you good health and look forward to catching up with you at future VAHS events.

Collection Acquisitions

Collection Highlights

The BLE Regalia

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers ("BLE") played a significant role in the development of Venice back in the 1920's.  VAHS has three significantly historic items in its collection, as illustrated in the above photographs.

According to John Bentley, a member of the Public Relations Department at the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen,

"The "neckpiece" is referred to as BLE regalia.  It was inspired by similar regalia used by members of the Masons during that era.  From what I have read, it would have been worn during BLE Division meetings, funerals of members, and other formal public events.  The metal items suspended from the bottom of the regalia were symbolic tools representing the office held by the wearer of the regalia.  We no longer use these titles, but Chief Engineer of the Division was symbolized by a Holy Bible; First Grand Engineer, crossed gavels; Second Engineer, one gavel; First Assistant Engineer, crossed pens/quills; and Second Assistant Engineer, crossed keys.

The banner was known as an altar cloth. Many early meetings were held in churches.  The altar cloth was draped over the altar or podium or lectern where the principal officer would speak during Division meetings."

VAHS Traveling Exhibition

The VAHS Traveling Exhibition was booked for the months of June, July, August, and September in showcases at our local libraries.  Both libraries were extremely pleased with the exhibits, as were its patrons.

The showcases at the William H. Jervey, Jr. Venice Library

The showcases at the Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library

If your organization is interested in having similar exhibits at your location, please click the email button below.

Pop-Up Meet-Up

The beautiful Myakka River at Snook Haven

VAHS hosted its second Pop-Up Meet-Up on July 10th at Snook Haven.  Braving the high humidity, thirty people spent the afternoon catching-up with each other and soaking up "Ole Florida" in the beautiful surroundings of the Myakka River.

VAHS members at Venice Wine & Coffee Company

The Venice Area Historical Society hosted its third VAHS Pop-Up Meet-Up on September 18th at Venice Wine & Coffee Company, located in the historic 1926 Johnson-Schoolcraft Building.  VAHS members were able to enjoy an afternoon of catching up and making new connections while enjoying the libations offered by our host and owner, Tracy Silver.  In addition, Tracy provided an interesting history of the building, its prior tenants, and the trials and tribulations of the most recent restorations.

The next Pop-Up Meet-Up will be listed on our calendar and we will also send an email blast to our members, all the more reason to join VAHS!  We hope to see you there!

Community Connections

Frank Wright addressing the crowd at the event.

VAHS was pleased to host the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce "Coffee Connections" in the Freight Room of the 1927 Historic Venice Train Depot on September 12th for local businesses and organizations.  After the meeting, VAHS Docents offered tours of the Train Depot and Circus Museum to attendees.

Thank you to Jeff Osborne of Seed and Bean Market for donating the coffee and Marion Shelton of Premier Sotheby's International Realty for delivering it to the meeting.

Betty Intagliata Lecture Series

Here are the dates for the 2024 / 2025 season.  We are currently finalizing the speakers for 2025.

10/15/24 - Barbara File Marangon - Detour on an Elephant, A Year Dancing  with the Greatest Show on Earth

11/19/24 - All Aboard Bob's Train - An Evening of Conversation

 with Bob Horne and Ron Smith

01/21/25 - TBD - Save the Date

02/18/25 - TBD - Save the Date

03/18/25 - TBD - Save the Date

04/15/25 - TBD - Save the Date

Over the years, The Betty Intagliata Lecture Series has been filmed and is available for viewing on VAHS's YouTube channel.

Please click on the button below and watch history begin to unfold!

Speakers Bureau

Dear Fellow Members,

Have you developed a special interest in some aspect of Venice-area history?  Have you longed to explore a character you admire from our area’s past?  If so, would you like to research more about your area of interest, then share the knowledge with others in our community?  Do you have public-speaking or stage experience which might make the idea more appealing and easier to implement?  If you have answered "yes" to some of these questions, then VAHS could use your help!

Over the years, VAHS has been fortunate to have a number of devoted speakers, but the passage of time has reduced our cadre of volunteers.  As a result, we have been unable to address a range of interesting topics.  Perhaps one of your areas of interest would meet an information need for our residents and visitors.  The experience is entertaining, intellectually stimulating, and very much appreciated by our host organizations, which may even include your friends and neighbors!

If you are interested, please contact VAHS via the email button below and share your thoughts.  You would be providing a valuable service to VAHS and to the area which many of us now call “home.”

Sincerely,

Clarke Pressly

Chair, VAHS Speakers Bureau

Would your organization like to have one of our experienced lecturers speak about a particular historic subject or figure?  If so, please contact us and we can arrange to provide a lecture which will educate, inform, and impress your audience.

For more information, please click on the email button below.

Around Town

Julia Cousins Laning and Dale Laning Archives & Research Center

Recently, members of VAHS toured the archives for a first-hand look at its vast collection of photographs, maps, objects, artifacts, and periodicals of the history of Venice.  Thank you to Jon Watson, Curator and Collections Manager, for the tour of the Center located at 224 Milan Avenue West, Venice.

History:  Did You Know?

When founded in 1991, the original name of VAHS was Venice Area Historic and Preservation League, Inc.  The name was shortened in 1994 to Venice Historic Preservation League, Inc.

In 2001, in order to better express the breadth of the society’s mission statement, a “doing business as” name was filed with the state of Florida -Venice Area Historical Society.

When considering a donation to VAHS, please search for Venice Historic Preservation League, Inc.  Thank you!

VAHS = Venice Historic Preservation League, Inc.

Certificate of Distinction

VAHS has established a Certificate of Distinction to honor nonprofit organizations who have reached a milestone anniversary and continue to serve the Venice community.  Please let us know if your organization is or will be celebrating such an event.

Venice Centennial Celebration

The Venice Area Historical Society is excited to partner with the City of Venice and other community organizations to help plan Venice's upcoming centennial.  The celebrations will kick off in late 2025 and go through May of 2027.  Our goal is to ensure Venice's fascinating history and the men, women, and organizations who have played a key role in Venice's progress are celebrated by our community's residents and visitors.

Here is a newly designed logo which VAHS will use to promote our Centennial events during celebrations starting in 2025 through 2027.  Designed by Bill Haberthur, Board Member and Communications Chair, the logo incorporates the 100-year-old John Nolen map of Venice with the parallelogram bursting through into the future with a photograph of the 100-year-old historic Venice Train Depot and the iconic Venice water tower in the background.

As our plans are formalized, we will share more details for specific programs and events.  We always welcome input, so if you have a great idea for the Centennial Celebration you want considered, please click on the button below.

Welcome New Members

Teri Ostroviak

Kyle Vartanian

VAHS MEMBERSHIP WOULD LIKE TO ADD YOUR NAME!

To become a member, please click on the membership button below.

Welcome New Nonprofits

CHILDRENFIRST

VAHS Business Members

Membership & Volunteer Application

Click here for a printable version of this application.

Venice Area Historical Society

PO Box 995

Venice, FL  34284-0995