Founded on July 4th 1905 by real estate entrepreneur Abbot Kinney, Venice, California is a great beach resort to live in or visit. Recently named one of the "funkiest towns of America", Venice is home to a melting pot of unique and creative diversity. Modeled after Venice, Italy, Venice-of-America (as it was known at the beginning of this century) is home to canals and colonnades, artists and visionaries, musicians, entertainers, weightlifters, and many others.