On May 15, 2025, as part of their annual Public History Forum in Orlando, Fla., the Florida Historical Society presented Jon Watson, City of Venice’s Curator and Collections Manager, with the Hampton Dunn Digital Media Award.

The award is named in honor of the late Hampton Dunn, a longtime newspaper and television journalist. The award recognizes outstanding digital media projects expanding knowledge of Florida history.

The City was given the award for the Venice Digital Local Newspaper Project. This is a 5-year-long project working with Backstage Library Works and World Archives in digitizing over 72,000 pages of local historic newspapers, including the Venice News from 1926-1928 and the Venice Gondolier from 1946-1983. 

Concerning the project, Watson stated: “The website has had a huge impact not only in finding information fast and effectively through the keyword search function on the website but also in a preservation capacity, with the public able to view the content without the original papers becoming damaged from use.”

The newspapers have been uploaded through our website: veniceflmuseum.newspaperarchive.com. The website is accessible and free to the public through research appointments at the Julia Cousins Laning and Dale Laning Archives & Research Center at 224 Milan Ave. W. The public can also view the newspaper collection at home for an annual fee of $29.99.

For any questions or to make an appointment at the Archives & Research Center, please contact Jon Watson at 941-313-5456 or jwatson@venicefl.gov.

PHOTO: Dr. Ben Brotemarkle, Florida Historical Society Executive Director, presents Jon Watson, Venice Curator and Collections Manager, with the Hampton Dunn Digital Media Award on May 15.

Photo courtesy Gisselle Concepcion, Media Production Specialist, Florida Historical Society