Mission San Buenaventura

Mission San Buenaventura was founded on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1782 by Father Junipero Serra, the ninth mission in the California mission chain. It was named for St Bonaventure, and was the last of the missions founded by Father Serra. It is located in Ventura, California.

In 1794 the first church burned down. It took the Indians 15 years to build the new church. That church still stands today. In 1893, Father Cyprian Rubio modernised the interior of the church, painting over the original artwork. When he finished almost nothing remained of the old church. In 1957, new priests restored the church to its original style.

Today all that is left of the mission is the church and its garden. Services are still held in the parish church. A small museum sits at the mission with displays of Chumash (Native American tribe) artifacts and mission period items.

See also: California mission