A Sunday at Venice Beach

Ok, truth be told, I don't know what day of the week this photo was taken, but it shows a very, very crowded Venice Beach. Now, who the heck would go to Venice just to sit under a black umbrella?

To the south of our scene is the Abbot Kinney Pier, below. This view is helpful in dating the photo. The pier went through several drastic changes over its history, the most dramatic after it suffered a catastrophic fire in December, 1920. Based on the Ferris Wheel, the auditorium, the three masts of the Ship Cafe just shoreward of the Ferris Wheel and the location of the roller coaster (on the north side of the pier), this scene appears to have been taken some time before the fire, which would put the date sometime between July 1905 and December 1920. When it was rebuilt afterwards, the roller coaster was located on the south, rather than the north side.

I've tried to find out information on Morley's, presumably a restaurant, but have come up empty...please comment at the bottom of the post if you have any info on this establishment.

Lots of straw hats

Some comparative images (mostly old post cards) can be found at VirtualVenice. Another history website. And details on the pier's construction.