Ingersoll's Century History Santa Monica Bay Cities (Being Book Number Two of Ingersoll's Century Series of California Local History Annals), 1908, 1908a, 1920
[p. 326, Abbot Kinney, 1908b]
[p. 327] Chapter XI Venice of America and Its Founder
Abbot Kinney [1850- ] was born in Brookside, N.J., November 16, 1850, his parents being Franklin Sherwood and Mary Cogswell Kinney, both descendents of old colonial families. His boyhood was mostly passed in Washington where his uncle, James Dixon, represented the state of Connecticut in the United States Senate. Here the young man had advatntages of education and of contact with many of the prominent men of that time and thus retains memories of the men who made the history of that period. To complete his education, he went to Europe and studied at Heidelberg, Germany, and in France and Switzerland, perfecting himself in foreign languages and making a special study of political, economic and social problems.
On returning to Washington, he became interested in the tobacco business and after a couple of years practical experience, he decided to go to Turkey and make a personal study of their methods of manufacturing cigarettes. In 1877, he started on a three years' tour of the world, one year of which was passed in Egypt. His keen powers of observation and active intellect were devoted during these years to the study of the conditions as he found them in various countries, and the conclusions thus acquired have since been applied in many ways to the problems presented in our own country.
He reached San Francisco, on his return voyage, in the winter of 1880, and finding himself unable to proceed directly east on account of heavy snow blockades in the Sierras, he came to Southern California. Here, afte a few weeks spent in the old Sierra Madre Villa, he felt that he had found the climate for which he had sought the world over. He secured a large tract of unimproved land in the vicinity of Sierra Madre and at once set about creating a beautiful and profit-yielding home out of what had been a waste. He planted out a large citrus orchard and turned his mind to the solution of the many difficulties which seemed almost insurmountable to the pioneer horticulturists of this region. As a result, "Kinneola" became a fine example of the possibilities of citrus culture and is known as one of the most beautiful country homes in California.
Broad-minded and public-spirited, he devoted the knowledge gained through investigation and costly experiments to the public use and became one of the projectors of the Southern California Pomological Society and served as its president.
[p. 328] In 1883, he was appointed a commissioner to serve with Helen Hunt Jackson in an investigation into the conditions of the Mission Indians of Southern California. After several months of travel and personal examination of the various reservations and their people, Mr. Kinney prepared a report to the government, advising the breaking up of the reservation system and the use of common-sense methods in the treatment of these miserable and helpless remnants of the first occupants of our country. It was during this period that Mrs. Jackson gathered much of the material used in the construction of Ramona and in her articles on the Missions and the Mission Indians.
In 1884, Mr. Kinney was married to Miss Margaret, the daughter of Judge James D. Thornton, justice of the Supreme Court of California.
In 1885 he was appointed chairman of the newly created board of forestry. Since that time Mr. Kinney has devoted much research and practical experimenting to the subject of forestry, particularly in its relation to the welfare of Southern California. In 1887, a tract of twenty acres, located on Santa Monica Heights, was donated to the state as a site for a Forestry Experimental Station in this section of the state. The board at once set apart a fund to be devoted to this purpose. Mr. Kinney took a keen interest in the experiments and practical working of this station and made an especially exhaustive study of Eucalypti, the results of which he later published. He was also instrumental in securing the initiation of National Forestry on a practical basis and in procuring the legislation which set aside the forest reserves in California and in establishing the School of Forestry in connection with the University of Southern California. This school gave special attention to the subject of forestry in relation to water-sheds and preservation of forests, with lectures by such men as Abbot Kinney, A.H. Koebig, Henry Hawgood, J.B. Lippincott, T.S. Van Dyke and T.P. Lukens.
Mr. Kinney is an unusual combination-the practical man of affairs, looking personally to his large interests-and at the same time the student and thinker. He has been an investigator along with many lines of thought and has published several books as the results of his study. In 1893, he issued, The Conquest of Death, dealing with a sociological subject, and Tasks by Twilight, which sets forth some original theories as to the training of the young. As the author is the parent of five sons, he had practical data to deal with. He devoted much study to the workings of the Australian ballot system and published a pamphlet on this subject and earnestly advocated its adoption in this country. He has also published a strong argument on the tariff question; made a study of climatology, particularly with reference to Santa Monica, and written many valuable lectures and monographs upon various topics. In all of his writing his use of English is direct and forcible and his course of reasoning clear and logical.
[p. 329] He has served as president of the Southern California Academy of Science and of the Southern California Forest and Water Association; and as vice president of the American Forestry Association of California. In 1897 he was appointed by Governor Budd as one of the Yosemite Park Commission, which made sweeping reforms in the conditions which had nearly destroyed the pleasure of a visit to this wonder of the world. In all of his public work, Mr. Kinney has shown a broad public spirit and devotion to the general good.
After a few years residence at "Kinneloa," Mr. Kinney found that the seaside air was better suited to his health than the foothills, and, in the early eighties, he purchased a home on Ocean avenue, Santa Monica. Since that time he has been closely associated with the development of the Santa Monica bay cities.In 1886 he formed a syndicate to purchase a large parcel of land on the north side of Santa Monica Canyon. Here, he proposed to make an ideal residence tract, with unsurpassed views of ocean, mountain and valley. Trees were planted, streets were laid out and a railroad planned. Later this tract was transferred to the Southern Pacific Company and furnished the site for the "long wharf."
In 1888, Mr. Kinney was one of the organizers of the Santa Monica Improvement Company which built the Casino on North Third street and laid out the grounds and tennis courts above it. This was the forerunner of "Country Clubs" and was for years the center of tennis interests in Southern California. About this time he was appointed road commissioner in the district of Santa Monica and devoted much time and energy to the opening up and improvement of the roads of the vicinity. The boulevard to the Soldiers' Home was laid out under his supervision and during his administration he set out some nine miles of trees along the public roads and started them growing-a Herculean task in this country of sheep, squirrels, and other hungry varmints-to say nothing of the lack of water.
Mr. Kinney was a member of the first library board of Santa Monica and was also instrumental in establishing the public library at Pasadena and in providing a free library at the Soldiers' Home.
About 1891 Mr. Kinney acquired an interest in a strip of ocean frontage, extending from the south boundary of the Lucas tract to the southern boundary of Ballona grant. This strip of sand was then considered worthless for any purpose whatever. But Mr. Kinney has imagination and foresight. In the face of many discouragements, he and his partner, F.G. Ryan, began putting up cottages and leasing lots in what was then known as South Santa Monica, because such lots on the sand could not be sold until their advantages were demonstrated. Through their effort the Y.M.C.A. was induced to to locate its summer home on this beach and the "Ocean Park" Association was formed. [p. 330, Creating Venice, 1908b] Messrs. Kinney and Ryan planted out trees, planted parks and pavilions, wharfs and sidewalks, and slowly, they developed what became for a time at least, the most popular resort of the beach-the old Ocean Park district.
But there was still a stretch of sand to the south of the settled area which was apparently hopeless, as it was little more than a salt marsh. Drainage suggested canals to Mr. Kinney, and he had a vision of a city that should equal in beauty and picturesqueness the Venice of his youthful enthusiasm. With the unfettered confidence of the progressive Armerican to the power of mind and money over material obstacles, he began the creation of an ideal city upon his salt marsh. The courage and persistance with which he has met the many unforeseen obstacles, the misunderstanding, and the opposition of a small but bitter faction, makes the history of Venice of America the crowning achievement of Mr. Kinney's long and active career in California . While the plans and the hopes of her projector have not all been fulfilled, Venice is already the most beautiful and the most unique pleasure resort on the Pacific coast.