Here we have a shot of the Venice pier that Abbot Kinney (original developer of Venice) built in 1905. From left to right are the auditorium (with 300 seats), the Cabrillo Ship Café, and the dance pavilion with room for 800 couples. The Ship Café was originally built as a hotel and restaurant in the form a Spanish galleon but became a very popular nightspot in the 20s, mainly because it was where you could get liquor during Prohibition. It was eventually dismantled along with the rest of Venice Pier in 1946.
Can anyone tell me what these tokens were used for?
The coin appears to be a promotional tool for the “Venice Tigers”, a Pacific League team that played in Venice in 1913-14.
http://www.virtualvenice.info/visual/visualpics/tigerscoin.jpg
In 1913 and 1914, the Tigers played in the oceanside community of Venice, and were known as the Venice Tigers during those seasons.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Tigers
Ah! Mystery solved. I was hoping it might be for something a little more exciting than advertising. Like maybe “Show this token and get into our hidden hooch lounge.”
Katie Porter (Catherine Dickinson “Katie” Mooring who married Henry Clay Porter could have been there during the fire. She rented an apartment only about a block off the beach in 1920. The motion picture bunch were just beginning to discover Venice/Santa Monica.
Wow, Charle – Katie must have had quite a trip in 1920!
Fabulous information and post thank you! What was the Pike?
The Pike was the boardwalk where all the entertainment, rides, and amusement games were located.