Mission Buenaventura

Mission San Buenaventura was originally intended to be the third mission, because the site was half way between Mission San Diego and Mission Carmel, but its actuality was slow in coming.  The year before its founding, Padre Serra wanted to start work on it, but an Indian uprising took place at two California desert missions.  Yuma Indians attacked them, killing half a hundred settlers and soldiers. Because of that, the military opposed any new missions, fearful that it would lead to another Indian uprising. To further complicate the situation, missionaries were against a new government policy, which provided for more Spanish settlers to come into Indian territory, a policy that many missionaries thought responsible for the disaster in the desert. Padre Serra and the civilian authorities could not see eye to eye, so construction was postponed ultimately for 12 years. Serra personally dedicated the mission on Easter morning in 1782 as the ninth in the chain. It would be the last mission he founded.

    Looking at the front of the mission’s church, the outstanding features are the bell tower and the triangular frame on the front facade, with a window in the center. The mission is the only one known to have wooden bells, which were carved out of blocks two-feet thick. Bells were of great importance to the daily life of a mission. They were rung at mealtimes, as a call to begin work and to attend religious services, to mark births and funerals, and to signal the approach of a ship or returning missionaries.

    From the start San Buenaventura was a huge success. There were numerous Chumash Indians living in the area. They turned out to be friendly and very skillful. They were so friendly that the mission was built right in the midst of their village. A reservoir was constructed seven miles away on the Ventura River. The padres built an elaborate aqueduct system that brought water to what became a fertile land in which a large variety of crops were grown. It was the combination of rich soil and a mild climate that helped to produce exotic fruits, which included bananas and sugar cane. San Buenaventura’s reputation for growing fruits and vegetable was known far and wide and its proximity to the Pacific Ocean made it a popular place for passing whaling vessels to stop and take on supplies.

    As was the case with many of the other missions, San Buenaventura had to face several threats to its existence. The first church was destroyed by fire, so the present structure was designed of stone and brick and adobe. A violent earthquake of 1812 nearly destroyed the mission. It took two years to make it serviceable again. In 1818, there were threats of pirate raids.

    The mission was secularized in 1836. Soldiers belonging to two rival contenders for governor waged a two-day battle over the mission, resulting in significant damage. In 1846, Governor Pio Pico sold the land for $12.000. The buyer immediately subdivided the property into lots and advertised them for sale to Americans in the East. No land was ever sold because by that time the United States had taken possession of Alta California. The sale of the mission was declared illegal and the property was returned to the Catholic Church.

    Over the years attempts have been made to modernize historic structures. In many cases this ruins the original intent of the builders, but in the case of Mission San Buenaventura, it has been fully restored to it original state; however some of the original buildings were torn down to make way for the city of Ventura which grew up around them.

    Because it is located on Ventura's busy main street, it’s hard to image that the old mission was once the garden spot of all the missions, surrounded by orchards, vineyards, and grain fields.   

    Today, the church is still very active. There have been only a few times since its dedication in 1809 that services were not held.