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A Venice resident since 1983, Dorothy Korwek was
the Venice Archives director for the past 11
years. She was instrumental in the preservation of
the Triangle Inn. Her vast knowledge and
dedication to the community have helped keep the
area’s important history alive today. We salute
Dorothy for her numerous years of service, and
wish her the best in her retirement!
Dorothy Korwek, former director, in front of the
beautifully restored Triangle Inn.
Here are a few gems of information provided by
Dorothy:
Why is the building that houses the Archives of
Venice unique?
The Triangle Inn building was originally
constructed in 1927 to fit a triangular-shaped lot
at the intersection of Nassau and Pensacola. It
was a rooming house and a bed and breakfast inn; a
home to piano teachers, secretaries, prospective
land buyers, tarpon fishermen and visitors
escaping the cold of the north. During World War
II, it was home for the civilian employees of the
Venice Army Air Base and married military
personnel. After the war, it was a private home,
and during the 1950s it was converted to six
apartments. It was being used as a 5-unit
apartment building when it was finally threatened
with demolition to make room for a parking lot.
The main room contains rotating exhibits.
Currently, images from the circus in Venice are on
display. A holiday exhibit is scheduled for the
end of November.
What saved the unique structure for posterity?
Thankfully, the structure was acquired by the city
of Venice and moved in 1991 to its current
location at 351 Nassau Street South, just west of
the Venice Public Library and the Venice Community
Center. Restoration and renovation were completed
in 1996 with grant assistance from the Florida
Department of State Division of Historical
Resources, Bureau of Historical Preservation,
Sarasota County, City of Venice, The Venice
Foundation, numerous private donations and many
volunteer hours.
The Albee Orthopedic Fracture Table was invented
in 1913 by area resident, developer and famous
orthopedic surgeon Dr. Fred Albee.
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What kind of resources does Venice Archives store,
and what’s available for public access?
There is a small museum on the first floor, and
our permanent collection is on the second floor.
Preservation and archeological journals and
magazines, such as Venice Gulf Coast Living
magazine, become a permanent addition to the
Venice Archives Collection. Other resources
include oral histories on audio cassette tape, VCR
tapes of local events, old and new books
indigenous to the area, school yearbooks, city tax
ledgers, city directories and telephone books,
postcards, maps, and so on. A carefully indexed
collection of newspaper clippings on subjects such
as the early settlers, city government, schools,
churches, and economic development are available
for the public to use for research. Any materials
related to Venice and the communities of Nokomis,
Laurel, and Osprey whose histories have been
interwoven from 1867 to the present are valuable
to us, and we appreciate calls from residents who
may have anything of interest.
Local collectors have donated a varied selection
of fossils from the greater Venice area. Pictured
are fossilized shark’s teeth and bones from
ancient carnivores, reptilia, osteichthyes, birds
and invertebrates.
When is the museum open?
January through April the museum hours are 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The
months of May through December hours are 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. For further
information, please call 941-486-2487.
Restored church reed organ, circa 1900, originally
used at the Venice-Nokomis United Methodist
Church.
How can residents help with preservation?
The Triangle Inn Association is the “friends”
group for the Venice Archives and Area Historical
Collection. It’s a not-for-profit 501(C)(3)
organization guided by an elected Board of
Directors and slate of officers to promote and
sustain the historic landmark called the Triangle
Inn, which is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places. Various membership categories are
available with individual membership costing $15.
Membership dues support the efforts of the
archives to keep our community’s history alive for
generations to come! After all, “How do you know
where you are going if you don’t know where you
have been?”
Written by Ginny Robinson
Photographed by Lizette Lenhard
Printed October 2007
Web October 2007
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