Pioneer Court

Pioneer Court. . This sculpture symbolizes the three crops – citrus, cattle and seafood – that sustained the first 19th century settlers in the Venice area. No roads penetrated the surrounding wilderness. Most contacts with the outside world were by sailboats which they built themselves. Their isolated lives were made bearable by the natural resources abounding in the area and by the warm, beneficent climate., Pioneer life demanded hard work, still there was time for fun. Sugar cane “grindings” yielded syrup, community turtle hunting provided meat that could be preserved by drying. The church and school gave spiritual and intellectual support and provided a center for many social activities., Life was hard, beset by isolation and heavy physical labor, but the companionship, the wonderful climate and the pioneer spirit combined to offer a full measure of contentment., By the end of the century, pioneer families began to accommodate winter visitors thus was launched the area’s thriving tourist and retirement industries.