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Colonel Richmond, concerned with finding a winter retreat with a healthy environment for the cadets, was very impressed with what he found. He was delighted to be able to do away with canned vegetables, or the necessity and costs to import them since they were locally plentiful year round. Poultry and eggs were readily available, and abounding seafood was there for the taking. The beaches, copious sunshine, and winter warmth all were important factors in his view of overall good health. Fishing and swimming would become an important part of the KMI physical development and recreational programs. The Colonel was shown the San Marco and the Venice Hotel, which had stood empty for years. Adjacent to them was considerable open space, necessary for parade grounds and rifle ranges. The decision was then made for KMI to winter in Venice and a seven-year lease was signed. On October 7, 1932, the Sarasota Herald Tribune (reduced to only 6 pages of newsprint during
the depression) reported on this important development. Colonel Richmond was quoted regarding the buildings saying “They are ideal for our purposes, seem to have been built for a school of this nature and practically no changes will be made of any nature.”
Nonetheless, it took three months to prepare the buildings for the school’s arrival. The Venice Hotel, now Summerville of Venice was to house the officers and their families, contain the kitchen and the dining room, and main lobby. The lobby was graciously appointed with rattan and mahogany furniture, painted lamp globes, and wood blade ceiling fans. The San Marco Hotel (now the Venice Centre mall) was to serve a variety of purposes. The ground floor was transformed into classrooms, and the second and third floors were converted to barracks for the cadets. Each room was carefully prepared and contained a bed and dresser, steam heat, a desk complete with glass ink well, and a spittoon.
The Colonel was a personable, down-to-earth man, apparently well-liked and respected. Columnist W. B. Stinson, reporting for the Sarasota Herald Tribune, wrote “If other of the faculty prove to be such men as Col. Richmond they will be warmly welcomed in Florida, Sarasota County, and particularly in our little city – Venice.”
On January 5, 1933, the KMI entourage of 175 students, 25 administrators and faculty, and 25 staff members arrived at the Venice train station. An estimated 1500 people joyfully greeted them and with much jubilation watched them march the three blocks from the station to the new barracks. KMI clearly saved the city of Venice from the depression economically. With their incorporation into the community, KMI created about 400 new jobs. One Venice resident, Peter Edge, was hired at $1.50 per day and reported that previously he had not earned even $25 in a three-year period. It quickly became apparent that KMI brought much more than a fresh economic base to Venice.
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Shortly after their arrival, they brought the streets to life with the first of their bi-monthly snappy dress parades. They provided regular Sunday band concerts, dances, an orchestra, as well as a wide variety of sports teams. Families of the students and staff relocated to Venice, helping to rebuild the community. Cadets were spending their money at local businesses, and some stayed after graduation and started new trades. In essence, KMI brought Venice back to life.
Colonel Richmond had an aggressive outreach program to increase enrollment and by 1935, local boys had become cadets. He was known to help many individuals, who otherwise could not afford to attend, by making them “working students.” They earned their way by working in the mess hall, the kitchen, being barbers or assisting the staff. Within 4 years, enlistment had grown to 275 students. By 1940, KMI expanded to 10 acres, which included an adjacent garage. The garage was transformed into a much needed gymnasium for their athletic programs and sports teams. Today, that building houses the Venice Little Theatre.
Year after year, KMI staff and students arrived for their winter session, which ran between Christmas and Easter. Local residents would happily greet them at the station, and warmly welcome their return. The Sarasota Herald Tribune regularly reported on their arrival and departure schedules, basketball, tennis, wrestling, and football teams, and other events. The Venice Historical Archives is full of news clippings following their exciting teams. They traveled north to St. Petersburg, east to Lakeland and south to Punta Gorda, playing against high school and junior college squads. Dances were weekly events and even local senior class proms were held at the school. Over time, KMI had carved its initials into the heart of the Venice community.
In 1965, Colonel Richmond retired at age 75 after a stint of 40 years with KMI. He died just three years later in Venice and was buried in Kentucky. With the inevitability of change, the KMI era came to an end in 1970, with the closing of the Venice school. Enrollment had dwindled, primarily blamed on the unpopularity of the Vietnam War, and costs were too high to sustain the operation. The people of Venice bid them a reluctant and emotional farewell. After KMI left, everything not attached to the buildings was sold on April 19, 1972 at public auction.
The iron and concrete construction of the building saved it from being demolished, as it would have cost far more to tear it down than to remodel it. It was believed to have been the strongest building in Venice, and was periodically used as a hurricane shelter.
To this day, the Venice Centre mall is still affectionately referred to as “the KMI building” by long-time locals.
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