Points of Historical Interest
by Lucy Kortum

Ventura County

Ventura County Map
Coastal Conservancy Projects in Ventura County
Sources

• Ventura: Abbreviated from name of the 1782 mission San Buenaventura (good fortune), Ventura was the name of the county when it was organized in 1872.

• Rincon Point: Said to be battleground of ancient Chumash, and site of 1838 battle between Alvarado and Pio Pico, described in poem by Bayard Taylor, "The Fight of the Paso del Mar." In the 1900's a plank causeway built just south of Rincon Point, sometimes on pilings over the ocean, completed the highway between Santa Barbara and Ventura. Rincon means "corner."

• Mussel Shoals: A 1924 subdivision at Punta Gorda. Offshore artificial Rincon Island, connected to land by a private causeway, was built in 1958 for oil extraction.

• Oil Piers Beach: Most visible oil drilling piers. Sea Cliff/Solimar Beach: Locked gate residential communities.

• Faria/Pitas Point: Another residential community, was resort and summer home area, named for 1908 settler Manual Faria. Pitas Point site of Chumash village, so named by Portola expedition in 1769 because of the Indians' reed whistles (los pitos).

• Seaside Wilderness Park: World War II gun emplacements.

• City of Ventura: Site of sizable Chumash village called Shisholop prior to Cabrillo 1542 landing; later settlers from Italy, France, Prussia, and Greece; also a Chinatown. Many historic sites, mission, museums.

• Ventura Pier: Built in 1872, used commercially until 1940.

• Ventura Harbor: Dredged from Santa Clara River estuary in 1963.

• Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center: Exhibits of natural and social history of the eight island group. San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa form the southern boundary of the Santa Barbara Channel; four others are offshore from San Pedro to San Diego. All were important temporary and permanent Indian settlements. The national park was established in 1980.

• (nearby) Olivas Adobe: Well restored 1837 adobe home of Don Raimundo Olivos.

• Santa Clara River: Now confined by levees near its mouth, the previously meandering river created the extensive agricultural Oxnard plain. Named in 1769 by Portola expedition.

• City of Oxnard: Founded by Oxnard brothers 1898 who established sugar beet refinery; rapid growth following extensive World War II Naval Seabee installation at nearby Port Hueneme.

• Hollywood Beach/Hollywood by the Sea: Began as 1920's and '30's movie star vacation homes.

• Channel Islands Harbor: 1960 Corps of Engineers project dredging nearby dunes and wetlands.

• Silver Strand Beach: Fishing jetty from rock-filled shipwrecked ocean liner La Jenelle.

• Port of Hueneme: Opened in 1940, having been dredged from land donated by Richard Bard, used as major port during World War II, documented in Seabee Museum. 1874 Port Hueneme Lighthouse was rebuilt in 1941 and automated in 1972. Bard mansion an historical landmark.

• City of Port Hueneme: Site of early Chumash village Wene'me. Large 1871 wharf built by Thomas Bard established town as major shipping center until 1898 railroad went to Oxnard instead, renewed with World War II military; exhibits at historical museum.

• Port Hueneme Beach Park: 1978 pier replaced original Hueneme wharf.

• Mugu Lagoon: Named for Muwu, Chumash village at this long occupied site. Many recorded archeological sites in area south to Solromar. Santa Monica Mountains Alternative Hike via Backbone Trail begins at La Jolla Valley and extends south to Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles County, also contains many notable historic sites.

• Leo Carrillo State Beach: Mostly in Los Angeles County.