[kmarc]

I was looking for another old Florida commercial and came across this, the Florida promotional film produced in the 1970s, entitled "When You Need It Bad, We've Got it Good!". One of the best promotional pieces of its day, IMO. Although to be fair, Florida is the star of the film and all you had to do was look at those clips in the film and you wanted to go, especially when you were shoveling snow, or slipping and sliding on the ice.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WP-86kjAeU

Seems like another place now.

[kmarc]

And here's the full length 15 minute film, of which the above is a segment.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxHVAto1xMg

[jean_ji]

Great imagery contrasting cold, snowy winters to warm, sunny beaches, thanks for sharing. Promotions were going on long before the 70's though.

I found this recently for South Venice. Two brothers from NJ bought 3,000 acres and platted it out into over 19,000 lots. Two 40'x100' lots were required for a house. Together with the Venice Chamber of Commerce, they promoted the lots in a nationwide campaign in the early 50's. All the lots sold within two years.

Attachment 192480

Above image taken from:
http://www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.e...-show-REV1.pdf

[bale002]

This is a great find, thanks for posting. I think I have a vague memory of it from when I was a kid.

Just to quibble a bit, as jean_ji already mentioned, promotion for Florida has a much longer history, going back to 1819, again after 1845 and especially the 1910-1920s from which there are still extant posters and pamphlets.

Of course there was the parentheses of the 1926 hurricane, depression and war, but it picked up again in the 1950s.

My aunt came in 1956, followed by my grandparents in 1965.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by bale002

This is a great find, thanks for posting. I think I have a vague memory of it from when I was a kid.

Just to quibble a bit, as jean_ji already mentioned, promotion for Florida has a much longer history, going back to 1819, again after 1845 and especially the 1910-1920s from which there are still extant posters and pamphlets.

Of course there was the parentheses of the 1926 hurricane, depression and war, but it picked up again in the 1950s.

My aunt came in 1956, followed by my grandparents in 1965.

Yes, I should have qualified my statement. I was referring to the film medium specifically, not the old pamphlets and posters. I do realize that Florida was being promoted long before the 1970s, in fact there are some old promo stills in that film. And who can forget the pre-Depression Great Florida Land Rush stories, where people bought and sold lots on the street in places like Miami and Sarasota?

What I meant by "started it all", I meant that this film kicked off this phase of Florida growth that has culminated in the Florida we see today. It wasn't just a tourist promo. It was a relocation promo as well, IMO, although the message was subtle. I thought it was interesting that they even promoted Florida as a place to go in the summer!

As I recall, that film won some advertising and public relations awards. A lot of those coconut palms are gone, though.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by jean_ji

Great imagery contrasting cold, snowy winters to warm, sunny beaches, thanks for sharing. Promotions were going on long before the 70's though.

I found this recently for South Venice. Two brothers from NJ bought 3,000 acres and platted it out into over 19,000 lots. Two 40'x100' lots were required for a house. Together with the Venice Chamber of Commerce, they promoted the lots in a nationwide campaign in the early 50's. All the lots sold within two years.

Attachment 192480

Above image taken from:
http://www.sarasota.wateratlas.usf.e...-show-REV1.pdf

Wow, good find. Is the beach still reserved for the residents, I wonder?

[jean_ji]

Originally Posted by kmarc

Wow, good find. Is the beach still reserved for the residents, I wonder?

It is still resident owned, luckily. I believe all beaches are public in FL, it's the beach access that is owned. South Venice beach sits between two public beaches that are 10 miles apart in Sarasota County.

Originally there were two bridges, north and south, going to the Gulf from the neighborhoods. The Intercoastal came along and the bridges had to go. The Corps of Army Engineers provided docks and an electric ferry in exchange so residents could still get to the beach.

Not that long ago, someone on the board of our association realized the beach access property was not secure, legally. The land was put into a trust held for the residents. There were three pieces of property with the county holding the middle parcel. A trade was made with the county so the property is now a continuous parcel.

Residents can purchase a pass for the ferry yearly or monthly. The electric ferry was replaced a couple of years ago and holds 18 passengers, with a licensed captain. There is a pass required boat ramp on the ICW and a free kayak launch to get on the ICW for anyone.

South Venice is an eclectic area (no HOA and wildly disparate properties) since the neighborhood association is voluntary. I live here and the beach access makes it a unique place to live.

[kmarc]

Originally Posted by jean_ji

It is, luckily. I believe all beaches are public in FL, it's the beach access that is owned. There are two public beaches north and south. It's 10 miles in between the two with South Venice's beach in between the two.

Originally there were two bridges, north and south, going to the Gulf from the neighborhoods. The Intercoastal came along and the bridges had to go. The Corps of Army Engineers provided docks and an electric ferry in exchange so residents could still get to the beach.

Not that long ago, someone on the board of our association realized the beach access property was not secure legally. The land was put into a trust held for the residents and a 501c later. There were three pieces of property with the county holding the middle parcel. A trade was made with the county so the property is now a continuous parcel.

Residents can purchase a pass for the ferry yearly or monthly. The electric ferry was replaced a couple of years ago and holds 18 passengers, with a licensed captain. There is a pass required boat ramp on the ICW and also a free kayak launch to get on the ICW for anyone, or for residents to kayak over to the dock and walkway to the beach. Dredging was just finished last month after all the permits were gathered. There were high spots at low tide from silting in.

South Venice is an eclectic area (read no HOA and wildly disparate properties) since the neighborhood association is voluntary. I live here and the beach access makes it a unique place.

THAT is a great story. Well, that's one land promise that came true, and whoever on the association board moved to secure that land, kudos to them!

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by jean_ji

It is still resident owned, luckily. I believe all beaches are public in FL, it's the beach access that is owned. South Venice beach sits between two public beaches that are 10 miles apart in Sarasota County.

Originally there were two bridges, north and south, going to the Gulf from the neighborhoods. The Intercoastal came along and the bridges had to go. The Corps of Army Engineers provided docks and an electric ferry in exchange so residents could still get to the beach.

Not that long ago, someone on the board of our association realized the beach access property was not secure, legally. The land was put into a trust held for the residents. There were three pieces of property with the county holding the middle parcel. A trade was made with the county so the property is now a continuous parcel.

Residents can purchase a pass for the ferry yearly or monthly. The electric ferry was replaced a couple of years ago and holds 18 passengers, with a licensed captain. There is a pass required boat ramp on the ICW and a free kayak launch to get on the ICW for anyone.

South Venice is an eclectic area (no HOA and wildly disparate properties) since the neighborhood association is voluntary. I live here and the beach access makes it a unique place to live.

The State or City should buy any home for sale where direct beach access is bad and build a metered parking lot so that a "public" beach is not really a private beach for all practical purposes. CA did one thing right with their Coastal Commission, FL not so good.

[jean_ji]

Originally Posted by expatCA

The State or City should buy any home for sale where direct beach access is bad and build a metered parking lot so that a "public" beach is not really a private beach for all practical purposes. CA did one thing right with their Coastal Commission, FL not so good.

There are 5 public beaches within 20 minutes of my house that are free, not including my community ferry. The next county south has paid parking lots for their public beaches. To me, those are not so public beaches, especially for taxpayers of that county.

The FL state constitution says: "all beaches below the “mean high-water line,” or the wet sand, are public. Court cases have found that the public has the right to the dry sand parts of beaches in two instances:
One is if the public has established a “prescriptive easement,” using a particular beach for the past 20 years without objection from private landowners.
The other is through “customary use,” which is the “ancient,” peaceful use of the beach by the public."

Some beaches that don't have public access are being taken to court when they use public funds for beach rebourishment (adding back sand) while denying public access.

Coming from the Northeast with many restricted or private beaches, free beaches were a pleasant surprise in FL.