Where is the mission located?
Mission San Buenaventura is located 70 miles north of Los Angeles, near the ocean.
It is on present day 225 East Main Street Ventura,CA 93001.
What group of Indians was living in the area?
The group of Indians that lived in that area were the Chumash. The Chumash helped build mission San Buenaventura.
When was the mission established? What order in the mission chain is it?
The mission was established on March 31, Easter Sunday, in the year 1782. It is the 9th mission out of the 21 missions in the mission chain.
Who was responsible for starting this mission?
The people responsible for starting the mission are Father Junípero Serra and Father Presidente. Father Junípero died after he built the 9th mission,San Buenaventura.
Has the mission moved from its original location?
San Buenaventura has not moved from it's original location but it has changed in appearance. After a flood it got rebuilt to a more modern syle.
What does the mission look like? Use descriptive words. Address each of the
following:
- Chapel Inside the chapel there are two rows of bench's on each side. In front of the bench's there is a colorful glass window with long white candles infront of it. The ceiling and floor are made out of tile.
- Bell wall or bell tower The bell tower looks like a wedding cake. There are 3 layers and 5 bells. The bell at the top, made in France in 1956, has an automatic ringing system. The other 4 bells are hand operated (two are dated in 1781, one is dated in 1825, and one undated.) It has a cross on the top of it.
- Quadrangle In the quadrangle there is a beautiful water fountain surrounded by grass and a few trees. There are some rocky paths leading to somewhere. Behind the water fountain there is a door to the inside.
- Priests’ quarters In the priests' quarters there is nothing but a wooden bed under a window. There is one wooden cabinet next to the bed to store items.
- Indians’ quarters The Chumash Indians of the area stayed at their own homes. Some built their huts near the mission grounds.
- Archways The archways are made of stone and are curved like an upside down U. The archways are not very thick.
- Fields, grounds, gardens Huge fields surrounded Mission San Buenaventura where crops grew and livestock such as sheep, cattle and horses grazed.
- Outbuildings Outside the walls of San Buenaventura were larger workshops, a reservoir holding water used at the mission, and orchards containing fruit trees.
What materials were used to construct the mission?
The materials used to construct the mission were adobe bricks, stone, and wood.
What was the main industry of the mission during the Spanish occupation?
The main industry of the mission during Spanish occupation was farming fruits like bananas, coconuts, figs, and sugarcane. Pears were a specialty.
What, if any, is the main industry of the mission today?
The main industry today is tourist atraction. There is also a museum there.
What was the relationship between the Priests and the Indians?
The relationship between the priests and the Indians was friendly. Father Junípero Serra used to teach Indians, so they would probably be nice with each other.
Is it possible to visit the mission today?
Yes. It is possible to visit the mission today. I have put the address in the first question.
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