Abbot Kinney

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Early life

At the age of 16, the 6' 2" Kinney went to Europe where he studied in Heidelberg, Paris and Zurich. He became fluent in six languages. During his last few months there he took a walking tour of Italy, in particular, Venice and the Italian Riviera. Returning to Washington in 1869 he joined the Maryland National Guard and in 1873 was able to join a U. S. Geological Survey team to map the Sioux Reservations of the Dakotas. He travelled to Salt Lake City and Oregon and rejoined the survey team in Yosemite Valley.

In 1874, Kinney joined his older brother's tobacco business with offices in New York. The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company did much of their purchasing in the southern states, however thought that imported tobaccos might bring a different interest to the market. In 1876 Abbott traveled to Egypt and Turkish Macedonia.

Kinneloa

Instead of returning home Kinney took an extended vacation through Europe, India, Ceylon, New Guinea, Australia and Hawaii. He arrived in San Francisco in January 1880. Train travel to the East was held up by snow, so Kinney thought he would visit a Southern California health resort, the Sierra Madre Villa Hotel. Kinney was an asthmatic, and he thought he would try the place out for his first good nights rest. Without having a reservation, Kinney was forced to put up in the parlor. He immediately fell asleep on a billiards table and woke fresh and free from asthma symptoms. The sensation prompted him to purchase convert|550|acre|km2 of nearby property he named "Kinneloa".

Kinney was appointed to a three year position as Chairman of the State Board of Forestry. One of his first actions was to develop a protective agency for the forests of the San Gabriel Mountains which were subject to frequent fires set by ranchers to deforest the areas and create grazing lands for livestock. This created problems for the valleys which were easily inundated by mud and soot during subsequent rainfalls.

On his own property he developed methods of land management by which livestock and forested areas could be cultivated and shared. With the help of good friend John Muir, Kinney affected the establishment of the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve in December 1892, forerunner to the Angeles National Forest.

In his travels to the California State Legislature in Sacramento, Kinney met Margaret Thornton, daughter of California Supreme Court Justice, James Dabney Thornton. They were married in November 1884 and had seven children, three of whom died during childhood.

In 1891 Kinney and his partner bought controlling interest in Pacific Ocean Casino and a tract of land 1 1/2 miles long and convert|1000|ft|m wide along the Santa Monica beach. His partner died, and his widow’s new husband sold the interest to a group of men Kinney did not get along with. With a flip of a coin, which Kinney won, Kinney took the marshy southern half to build his Venice of America.

Venice of America

The Venice, Italy recreation opened on July 4, 1905 as an instant success. Trolley service was available from downtown and nearby Santa Monica. Visitors were dazzled by the system of canals complete with gondolas and gondoliers brought in from Venice, Italy. There were ornate Venetian-style businesses and a full sized amusement pier. Around the entire park was a miniature steam railroad along a 2 1/2 mile track. Eventually Kinney gained control of city politics and had the name changed from Ocean Park to Venice in 1911. Kinney was also allowed to build a convert|60|ft|m|sing=on breakwater to protect his facilities from ocean storm surfs.

Kinney’s wife died in June 1911 and Kinney married his mistress Winifred Harwell and adopted his two illegitimate children by her. Heavy smoker that he was, he died suddenly in November 1920. The business was carried on by his oldest son Thornton. However, the canals could not be kept fresh with circulated water, and if they could not be mucked daily, became putrid. The Department of Health had most of them closed and paved over.

A fire destroyed most the pier one month after Kinney's death leaving only the roller coaster and bandstand. It was rebuilt in 1924 followed by another devastating fire that ruined the whole complex and the neighboring Lick's pier. They were both reopened in 1926. The miniature railroad ran until 1924.