144 
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 Venice, of 
 America 
 

 TME QUEILM 
 SHOR.IE. 
 
 WLST ATLANTIC LAND Co 
 AtUhlic CHy. N.J. 
 
CeNGRESS, 
 Two Cowes RECEivee 
 
 APR. 26 1902 
 
 COPVRI«HT ENTRY 
 
 OLA®* CO XXo, NG. 
 ^ / 2. ^ t> 
 
 WEEKS PHOTO ENG. CO. 
 PHILA. 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1902 
 
 BY WEST ATLANTIC LAND CO. 
 
 ATLANTIC CITY, N. J. 
 
Venice of America 
 
 LANS are already developing for 
 
 this remarkable departure from the 
 
 ordinary type of summer resort. 
 
 Combining the romantic beauty 
 
 of Venetian water ways with fine 
 
 shaded streets and drives, 
 
 guarded by wise restrictions 
 
 that avoid ugly features in 
 
 grounds and architecture, it 
 
 will be an ideal home by the 
 
 sea, protected from encroachment on residence 
 
 sections by shops and business buildings and other 
 
 similar conditions. 
 
 Experts in architecture, in structural engineering, 
 and in landscape gardening, are engaged in carrying 
 out these plans. The company in control furnishes, 
 free of cost to home builders, a limited number of 
 architectural plans, in order that the required artistic 
 effects may be assured. They control over two miles 
 of water front, and give also excellent streets, side 
 
Venics or America 
 
 walks and parks. On the other hand, they expect 
 from their patrons co-operation in the effort to es- 
 tablish a summer retreat where the recreations of 
 sea-shore life may be enjoyed in quiet, and among 
 exceptionally beautiful surroundings, free from the 
 many objectionable features of the ordinary sea-shore 
 resort, a home where each cottager may have his 
 own boat landing at the foot of his garden, and where 
 his sense of the fitness of things will not be disturbed 
 by unsightly buildings, nor by crowds of excursionists. 
 The bustle, gaiety and diversion of Atlantic City 
 can be reached in ten minutes by rail. Trains run 
 frequently between the two points both on the 
 Pennsylvania and on the Reading Railroads. The 
 golf-links at Northfield can also be reached in about 
 the same length of time. 
 
 We are often asked 
 
 how this Venice of J^ fX 
 
 America originated. 
 Probably every one who 
 has visited the Queen 
 City of the Adriatic 
 has wished in his 
 heart that America 
 
 How it 
 Originated. 
 
Venice of America 
 
 could furnish something that would combine the water- 
 life of ancient Venice with the conveniences and 
 accessibility of our leading shore resorts. Perhaps 
 most have felt this an impossible ideal — that in 
 America the thing could not be done ; that if 
 attempted it would be swamped by the excursionists, 
 the saloon and the fakir. 
 
 The secretary of our Company, while in Venice, 
 realized the difficulties attending such an under- 
 taking, and has spent much time in solving the 
 problem. 
 
 The difficulties might be classed thus : 
 
 1 . A water site with large lagoon ( or bay of 
 salt water ) and land lending itself to the canal idea 
 so that each householder may board gondola or boat 
 from his own courtyard, and spend all his time, if 
 he so wishes, upon the water, row- 
 ing, sailing, fishing, etc. 
 
 2. A site that would also 
 admit of streets and land 
 transportation, so that 
 the American Venice 
 might not suffer, as does that 
 ancient city, from the absence of 
 the horse and of the automobile. 
 
THE GATE 
 
Venice of America 
 
 3. Convenient railroads and trolleys, to assure 
 accessibility and efficient transportation of household 
 supplies. 
 
 4. Reasonable nearness to the great business 
 centres, so that the business man need not lay down 
 his work, and yet may spend the evening with his 
 family on the water. 
 
 5. Immediate access to the outside breakers, as 
 at the Lido of Venice, for surf bathing, when desired. 
 
 6. A management such as would secure harmon- 
 ious (not uniform ) effects in architecture and landscape, 
 with wise ( not tyrannous ) restrictions to shut out the 
 saloon (not the hotel), the fakir, and the horde of 
 one-day excursionists. 
 
Venice of America 
 
 How these l. stretching away to the south is a 
 
 UljjlCUlties large bay five miles long and four miles in 
 width, connected by grand canals one hun- 
 dred feet wide, with inlets from the ocean ; to north 
 and south, a lagoon separated from the surf by its 
 Lido, Absecon Beach. The prevailing southerly 
 breezes come in cooled, and carrying the salty aroma 
 of the Atlantic. Along the whole northern side of 
 this lagoon stretches the two-mile front of this Ameri- 
 can Venice. Individual canals eighty feet wide stretch 
 to the north, and abut on the gardens of the individual 
 homes, affording individual landings that are entirely 
 smooth and protected, with moorage for private boats. 
 Along the main water front a broad esplanade, 
 with curving contour, having sheltered seats, pavilion, 
 and a pier extending into the lagoon. 
 
 2. A particular 
 element in the advant- 
 ages of this site 
 is the feasibility 
 of streets such 
 as do not exist 
 in Venice itself. 
 Midway be- 
 tween these 
 
Venice of America 
 
 individual canals, streets run down to the main water 
 front on the lagoon. While a wide and long avenue 
 crosses these well back from the bay and connects 
 on the west with the great shore road of the Jersey- 
 coast, giving solid road-bed for bicycle, automobile 
 or horse, up and down the coast as far as New York 
 City, and across the State to Philadelphia, as well as 
 immediate transit to Atlantic City, and the surf, on 
 the east. 
 
 3. Immediate connection with the outside world 
 
 is secured by means of the Pennsylvania and the 
 
 Reading Railroads, both of which touch 
 
 here, as will the Philadelphia and 
 
 Atlantic City trolley line. 
 
 
 •^'•WHUIIH 
 
 ' ? ■j-i»«m ,^^, 
 
 Surf bathiuL; 
 on the beach 
 
Venice of America 
 
 4. In time, we are seventy minutes from Phila- 
 delphia, three hours and ten minutes from New York. 
 
 5. The surf at Atlantic City beach is but ten 
 minutes distant, and trains run at ail hours, making 
 surf bathing much more convenient than it is at 
 Venice. 
 
 6. The restrictions set by the management are 
 not aimed to crush originality and a legitimate freedom ; 
 rather to protect the property owner in such freedom. 
 The saloon is prohibited, but an elegant and com- 
 modious hotel is projected. The prevailing architecture 
 is South European, particularly the Spanish, because 
 of its projecting eaves and balconies, large windows 
 and light walls. At the average summer resort the 
 visitor finds the walk to the beach, down glaring. 
 
 The Golf Links. 
 
A CANAL GARDEN 
 
Venice of America 
 
 shadeless streets — a rather disagreeable experience. 
 Here it is preferred to build these houses dose to 
 the side walk, so as to secure grateful shade for the 
 pedestrian, and also to leave the large private court, 
 or garden, in the rear of the cottage, between it and 
 the canal. 
 
 7. Expense : The ground rates will be less than 
 one-quarter their cost in Atlantic City. The buildings, 
 if one so chooses, may be very inexpensive. Good 
 taste is the standard — not expense. The entire prop- 
 erty, including lot, buildings 
 :'^' and garden, need not 
 
 cost more than 
 ,^. , $3,000. 
 
Venice of America 
 
 The Company controls the whole Northern shore 
 of the bay, stretching back to the railroad. The 
 opportunity can not be duplicated. 
 
 West Atlantic Land Co. 
 
 31 Law Building, 
 Atlantic City, N. J. 
 
 HARVEY J. SHUMWAY, 
 
 Secretary and Treasurer. 
 
^pv iLS^^"^ ^'^ CONGRESS 
 
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