On the Venice boardwalk, tourists to Los...

On the Venice boardwalk, tourists to Los Angeles can see the city’s entire social spectrum, from movie stars to the homeless. A stroll down the historic walkway exposes a visitor to an in-your-face parade of human attractions--everything from G-string-clad Rollerbladers and colorful street musicians to jugglers who toss chain saws and torches.

The promenade, officially known as Ocean Front Walk, got its start as a Southern California landmark on July 4, 1905, when millionaire tobacconist Abbot Kinney unveiled his land development dream of creating a “Venice of America.” Kinney envisioned a Mediterranean-style seaside resort and cultural center that would capture the ambience of Venice, Italy, and spark an “American Renaissance.”

Instead, Venice fast became the West Coast’s version of Coney Island. As early as 1907, Kinney was forced to admit that the people who visited Venice did not want art and culture, but diversion and fun. Kinney accommodated their wishes with roller coasters, fun houses, fortune tellers and saltwater spas.

Today, the giant bathhouses are gone and roller skates have replaced roller coasters. But the sideshows remain, whether they be eccentric Angelenos out for a jog or struggling sidewalk artists hawking their talents.

Still, two of Venice’s most celebrated icons--roller-skaters and sidewalk merchants--have had to go to court to preserve their lifestyles. Three years ago, signs went up along the boardwalk warning that skating was prohibited. Wheeled activists, including “Skateboard Mama” Liz Bevington and legendary roller-skating street musician Harry Perry rallied against the ordinance and rolled into City Council chambers to speak against it. With the support of Councilwoman Ruth Galanter they were able to get the ban overturned.

Just over a month ago, a group representing unlicensed Venice merchants, political activists, street artists, musicians and palmists went to court to persuade a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order to bar police from enforcing city laws that prohibit them from soliciting donations.

The judge refused to issue the order, but the city delivered the merchants a partial victory by allowing street vendors to prove their nonprofit status by means other than producing a card from the Department of Social Services.

SOURCE: “Venice of America: Coney Island of the Pacific” and Times staff reports.