Mission San Buenaventura

Mission San Buenaventura (1782-1836) - A Spanish mission established in 1782 by Father Junipero Serra in present day Ventura, Ventura County, California. Associated with the Presidio of Santa Barbara Named for Saint Bonaventure. Secularized in 1836.

Mission San Buenaventura Church Facade	Mission San Buenaventura Church Interior
Mission San Buenaventura

The Spanish Period (1769-1821)

Father Serra Statue

The Spanish period began in California with the building of Mission San Diego de Alcala, and the Presidio of San Diego in 1769. The Spanish Presidio provided a support system for the attached missions that included military troops. The mission provided provided a complete community for the converted native peoples that included agriculture and industry activities as well as religious instruction and services. Typically a very limited military presence was maintained at the missions and the presidio acted as the garrison for the surrounding missions. The Mission San Buenaventura was founded on 31 Mar 2782, by Father Junipero Serra, as the 9th of twenty-one Spanish missions founded in California.

Mexican Period (1822-1846)

Mission San Buenaventura Courtyard & Fountain

The Mexican period began with the end of the Mexican Revolution around 1820. Mexican troops occupied the presidios and Mexican governors ran the province of Alta California. The Mexican government began the process of secularization (turning church lands over to private interests) around 1831 and passed laws in 1833 mandating secularization of all missions in Mexico. Secularization gradually ended church ownership of community property. Most of the missions and presidios were abandoned and fell into disrepair as the lands were redistributed to private owners. Mission San Buenaventura was secularized in 1836.

The American Period (1846-Present)

Mission San Buenaventura Entrance Sign

The Mexican War was declared by the U.S. Congress on 11 May 1846 in response to a Mexican attack on U.S. troops in Texas. The declaration of war opened the door for American occupation of California. The American period began when American forces occupied San Diego in 1846. With end of the war, Mexico ceded all of upper California to the Americans in 1848 and a new round of land redistribution began.

On 19 Feb 1853, Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany filed a claim on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church for the return of all former mission lands in the State of California. Ownership of 1,051 acres (for all practical intents being the exact area of land occupied by the original mission buildings, cemeteries, and gardens) was transferred back to the Catholic Church by land patents and proclamations signed by U.S. Presidents between 1855 and 1874. Mission San Buenaventura was returned to the Catholic Church in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln.

Current Status

Ventura, Ventura County, California.

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USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 246019

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Location: Ventura, Ventura County, California. Maps & Images Lat: 34.281111 Long: -119.298056 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 56'

Sources:

Links:

• Wikipedia - Mission San Buenaventura
• Official Site

Visited: 5 Dec 2012

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