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76-679: The Ventura County Courthouse , known since 1974 as Ventura City Hall , is a historic building in Ventura, California . Located on a hill at the top of California Street, it overlooks the city's downtown district with views of the Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands . It was the first building in the City of Ventura to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has also received historic designations at

152-561: A parish church. The Mexican secularization act of 1833 was passed twelve years after Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821. Mission land was sold or given away in large grants called ranchos . Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura was a 48,823-acre (197.58 km ) grant that included downtown Ventura. The Battle of San Buenaventura was fought in 1838 between competing armies from northern and southern California. Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado granted Rancho San Miguel to Felipe Lorenzana and Raymundo Olivas, whose Olivas Adobe on

228-472: A 13th-century Franciscan saint and a Doctor of the Church . San Miguel Chapel was the first outpost and center of operations while the first Mission San Buenaventura was being constructed. The first mission burned in 1801 and a replacement building of brick and stone was completed in 1809. The bell tower and facade of the new mission was destroyed by an 1812 earthquake. The Mission was rebuilt and functions as

304-495: A cost of approximately $ 3.4 million. The building has served as Ventura City Hall since 1974. The building architecture has been described as Neoclassical Revival, Beaux Arts Classicisim, Roman Doric, and French Renaissance. The architect Albert C. Martin referred to it as "resembling Roman Doric". When the plans were unveiled in 1911, the Los Angeles Times reported that the "Roman Doric order" design would be "one of

380-471: A female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

456-576: A jail and offices for, among others, the sheriff's department, motor patrol, county board of education, farm bureau, and health department. One of the most notorious individuals held at the annex's jail was Charles Manson . Manson was arrested in Ventura in April 1968 and held and arraigned there on a drunk driving charge. In 1958, the main courtroom at the Ventura Courthouse was the site of

532-491: A large, second-floor courtroom (now city council chambers) with carved mahogany woodwork, three domes with leaded, stained glass skylights, and arched windows overlooking the city and ocean. The building has been praised as one of Southern California's most beautiful government buildings. In 1926, the Ventura Star wrote: "She stands majestically upon the hill, this courthouse of ours, with her national colors fluttering in

608-413: A male householder with no wife present. There were 2,621 (6.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 371 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 10,959 households (27.1%) were made up of individuals, and 4,271 (10.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57. There were 25,996 families (64.3% of all households); the average family size

684-462: A new courthouse. The Board of Supervisors followed Judge Ewing's recommendation, deciding to acquire land totaling 400 feet by 400 feet along the north side of Poli Street, a site occupied by the homes of James Blackstock and Henry Neel. However, a bond measure to raise funds for the new courthouse was defeated in 1911. The following year, voters approved a $ 150,000 bond measure to build the courthouse. The noted Los Angeles architect Albert C. Martin

760-594: A number of Middle Paleolithic sites, and are considered a key piece of evidence for the theory that early anatomically modern humans in Africa and the Levant were more culturally sophisticated than had previously been thought. In some cases shells had been transported a considerable distance from the species' natural habitat. One example is the site of Oued Djebbana in Algeria, for example, where an N. gibbosulus bead

836-423: A population of 106,433. The population density was 3,316.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,280.4/km ). The racial makeup of Ventura was 76.6% White , 1.6% African American , 1.2% Native American , 3.4% Asian (0.9% Filipino, 0.6% Chinese, 0.4% Indian, 0.4% Korean, 0.4% Japanese, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.5% Other), 0.2% Pacific Islander , 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 31.8% of

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912-441: A projected $ 6 million cost to replace additional terra cotta panels that were found to be peeling from trapped moisture. The building has been a popular shooting location. In 1997, three films were shot there. In June 1989, actor-director Jack Nicholson filmed " The Two Jakes " (sequel to "Chinatown") at the building. Ventura, California Ventura , officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for " Saint Bonaventure "),

988-487: Is a city in and the county seat of Ventura County, California , United States. It is a coastal city located northwest of Los Angeles . The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census . Ventura is a popular tourist destination, owing to its historic landmarks, beaches, and resorts. Ventura has been inhabited by different peoples, including the Chumash Native Americans, for at least 10,000 years. With

1064-428: Is operated as a museum and performing arts venue. Living history reenactments, demonstrations of Rancho life and ghost stories are presented. A summer music series of performances held in the courtyard features an eclectic assortment of artists from blues to jazz to country . "Two Trees" is two lone trees on a hilltop, visible from much of Ventura. Access to the hill is private property. In early October 2017, one of

1140-549: Is the historic Ortega Adobe , once home to the Ortega family known for chili products. Downtown Ventura is home to Ventura's ornate city hall . Downtown includes restaurants, wine bars, breweries, and the Rubicon Theatre Company. In Plaza Park (Chestnut and Santa Clara streets, downtown) stands a large Moreton Bay fig tree . Across the street, the main post office has murals on interior walls commissioned by

1216-608: Is the home of the annual Ventura County Fair , and over the years has hosted such acts as Jimi Hendrix , The Grateful Dead , Phish , Smokey Robinson , All American Rejects , Smash Mouth , and Sugar Ray , as well as the Vans Warped Tour . The train station for Amtrak 's Pacific Surfliner route is adjacent to the fairgrounds. Downtown Ventura is home to the Mission San Buenaventura , museums, galleries, dining, and shopping. Located in downtown

1292-582: Is water. Ventura has a Mediterranean climate , typical of most coastal California cities, with the sea breeze off the Pacific Ocean moderating temperatures. It is not uncommon for the city to be affected by Santa Ana winds off the Transverse Ranges on occasion, which increase temperatures dramatically. The community is registered in the census as San Buenaventura (Ventura) . The 2010 United States Census reported that Ventura had

1368-522: Is within a seismically active region like much of California and is crossed by several potentially active fault systems . The Ventura Fault is capable of an 8.0 earthquake and a local tsunami up to 23 feet in height. According to the United States Census Bureau , Ventura has a total area of 32.1 square miles (83 km ), of which 21.7 square miles (56 km ) is land and 10.4 square miles (27 km ), comprising 32.53%,

1444-591: The Perry Mason novels. Gardner published the first of 82 Perry Mason novels in 1933. Between 1930 and 1931, the Courthouse was expanded with the construction of a two-story annex at the western end of the building. The annex was designed by architect Harold E. Burkett and built at a cost of approximately $ 450,000. The annex was designed to mirror the architecture of the main courthouse with a terra cotta facade, copper roof, and bronze door. It provided space for

1520-593: The Section of Painting and Sculpture of the U.S. Treasury Department as New Deal art . Ventura Harbor has fishing boats, seafood restaurants and a retail center, the Ventura Harbor Village. The Channel Islands National Park Headquarters is also located at the harbor, and boats to the Channel Islands depart daily. The Olivas Adobe , one of the early "California Rancho"-styled homes,

1596-523: The U.S. Congress . Ventura has four college campuses: Ventura College of Law , Southern California Institute of Law , Santa Barbara Business College and Ventura College . Ventura College of Law is a non-profit law school founded in 1969. Ventura College is a community college , part of the Ventura County Community College District. The Brooks Institute of Photography shut down in 2016 after many years in

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1672-533: The poverty line , including 12.2% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over. Ventura is a popular tourist destination in Southern California, owing to its historic landmarks, beaches, and the local leisure economy. Businesses related to tourism and hospitality account for a significant portion of Ventura's economic activity. The outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia is based in Ventura. Diaper bag manufacturer Petunia Pickle Bottom

1748-455: The 99 seats in the courtroom, and a table for dozens of reporters was set up along the front rail. After a five-week trial, which included evidence that Duncan had previously hired a man to pose as her son to seek an annulment of the marriage, Duncan was convicted. After appeals were denied, Duncan and her two co-defendants were executed in the gas chamber in August 1962. For nearly six decades,

1824-671: The California Voting Rights Act. Council members have four-year terms and their elections are staggered so three or four are up for re-election every two years. The council elects from among its own members a mayor and deputy mayor who serve two-year terms. Joe Schroeder was selected as Mayor of San Buenaventura in December 2022. Ventura is located within California's 26th congressional district , with Julia Brownley currently serving as its representative in

1900-639: The Spanish Portolà expedition , first recorded European visitors to inland areas of California, came down the Santa Clara River Valley from the previous night's encampment near today's Saticoy and camped near the outlet of the Ventura River on August 14 . Fray Juan Crespi , a Franciscan missionary traveling with the expedition, noted that "we saw a regular town, the most populous and best laid-out of all that we had seen on

1976-492: The Ventura County Government Center, makes current legal resources available to judges, lawyers, government officials, and other users. Ventura is notable for the quality and frequency of the surfing conditions at spots such as Surfer's Point at Seaside Park . X Games California 2023 (Summer) event finals were scheduled for the adjacent Ventura County Fairgrounds . Ventura is the home to

2052-735: The Ventura Hotel (1926), and the Mission Theatre (1928). On March 12, 1928, the St. Francis Dam , 54 miles (87 km) inland, failed catastrophically , creating a flood that took more than 600 lives as it flowed down the Santa Clara River to the ocean. From the south, travel by auto was slow and hazardous, until the completion of a four-lane freeway ( US Highway 101 ) over the Conejo Grade in 1959. This route, which

2128-608: The area, buying land from the Mexicans, or simply as squatters . Vast holdings were later acquired by Easterners, including railroad magnate Thomas A. Scott . He sent Thomas R. Bard to handle Scott's property. Ventura had a flourishing Chinese settlement in the early 1880s. The largest concentration of activity, known as China Alley, was just across Main Street from the Mission San Buenaventura. Ventura Pier

2204-595: The arrival of Spanish missionaries in 1782, Mission San Buenaventura was established by Junípero Serra , giving the city its name. Following the Mexican secularization of the Californian missions , San Buenaventura was granted by Governor Pío Pico to Don José de Arnaz as Rancho Ex-Mission San Buenaventura and a small community arose. Following the American Conquest of California , San Buenaventura

2280-599: The banks of the Santa Clara River was the most magnificent hacienda south of Monterey . Fernando Tico also received a Mexican land grant for Ojai and a parcel near the river in downtown Ventura. Following the American Conquest of California in the Mexican–American War , California became a U.S. territory in 1848 and a U.S. state in 1850. After the American Civil War , settlers came to

2356-541: The building functioned as the Ventura County Courthouse. It also housed other offices of the county government and was the site of meetings of the County Board of Supervisors. One of the noted defense attorneys to practice at the courthouse in the 1920s and 1930s was Erle Stanley Gardner . Gardner maintained an office one block south of the courthouse from which he practiced law and also wrote

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2432-468: The building served as the center of county government. During that time, the county's population grew by 2,000 percent from 18,347 in 1910 to 376,430 in 1970. The need for a larger government center prompted the County in the early 1960s to acquire 81.7 acres (33.1 ha) in east Ventura at the northeast corner of Victoria Avenue and Telephone Road. The relocation of county government offices to east Ventura

2508-429: The building's courtroom) include carved mahogany woodwork, stained glass skylights and arched windows overlooking the city and ocean. The courthouse was expanded in the early 1930s with the construction of an annex off the building's west wing. In 1968, the building was declared structurally unsound and county workers relocated to a new complex. The City of Ventura purchased the building from the county and renovated it at

2584-478: The building, and he concluded that the courthouse was structurally unsafe in the event of an earthquake. In November 1968, the County enacted an evacuation plan to relocate all workers from the building within 90 days. The evacuation was completed in January 1969. City manager Ed McCombs encouraged the city council to save the building and get grants to rehabilitate the structure. In 1970, the City of Ventura bought

2660-598: The city after a lengthy application and ranking process. Three retail and one distribution business without a retail component were selected. Two more permits for the city's coastal zone, which includes downtown were considered and rejected after further information requested from the California Coastal Commission was reviewed. Once the appeals process is completed, applicants worked with the city on safety, security, odor control and other issues before being able to open for business. In late June 2023,

2736-580: The city at the foot of nearby Figueroa Street, was the site of a Chumash village. They had keen oceanic navigational skills made use of the abundant local resources from sea and land. The Ventura Chumash were in contact with the Channel Islands Chumash; both mainland and island Chumash utilized large plank-sewn seagoing canoes, called Tomol , with the island people bringing shell bead money, island chert, and sea otter pelts to trade for mainland products like acorns and deer meat. In 1769,

2812-402: The city was 78.8% White , 1.4% African American , 1.2% Native American , 3.0% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 11.1% from other races , and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 30.4% of the population. There were 38,524 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 11.7% had

2888-423: The community. Shell jewelry As well as sea snail shells, shell jewelry also sometimes uses the shells of clams ( bivalves ) and tusk shells ( scaphopods ). Occasionally shell jewelry is made from the shells of non-marine mollusks such as the shells of land snails [1] , or the shells of freshwater mollusks. Not all shell jewelry is made from whole shells; some kinds are made from parts of shells, including

2964-428: The county's biggest cash crop) and another bearing a local girl dressed as the "Goddess of Liberty". After the parade, speeches were given at Plaza Park, and horse races and fireworks followed at Seaside Park . On the second day, Adolfo Camarillo, chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, formally turned over the building, and a ball was held that evening under electric lights at the new courthouse. From 1913 to 1968,

3040-528: The downtown was closed to vehicle traffic in June 2020 in an effort to boost business and keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic . Ventura is located northwest of Los Angeles on the California coast . The western portion of the city stretches north along the Ventura River which is characterized by a narrow valley with steeply sloped areas along both sides. The steep slopes of the Ventura foothills abut

3116-471: The first building in the city (and the second in the county) to be so recognized. When the City of Ventura adopted its own historic landmark program in February 1974, the courthouse was one of the first buildings to be selected, receiving the designation as Ventura Historic Landmark No. 4. The original Ventura County Courthouse was built at a cost of $ 10,000 in 1873 by William Dewey Hobson, who had earlier in

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3192-411: The harbor breezes, for all the world like a beautiful woman in a Paris gown." In 1991, the Los Angeles Times said of the landmark structure: "Probably no local structure is more visually and symbolically dramatic, or as steeped in local legend. Perched like a lordly, lavish manor at the juncture of California and Poli streets, it overlooks the old town and the blue Pacific beyond – a constant reminder of

3268-786: The incubator. The Trade Desk, an industry leader in advertising on streaming services , is the second biggest publicly-traded company in Ventura County by market capitalization . According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Following the legalization of cannabis in California, local governments can prohibit companies from growing, testing, and selling cannabis within their jurisdiction by licensing none or only some of these activities but may not prohibit adults from growing, using or transporting marijuana for personal use. The state allows deliveries without local agency licensing at

3344-542: The journey up to the present time." Archaeological records found that the Chumash village they encountered was settled sometime around AD 1000. Junípero Serra , first leader of the Franciscans in California, founded Mission San Buenaventura in 1782 as his ninth and last mission established near the Chumash village as part of Spain's colonization of Alta California . The mission was named for St. Bonaventure ,

3420-422: The long history of human settlement such as beads made of shells by Native Americans harvested from the nearby ocean. By 1910, the tower of the original courthouse was badly cracked and leaning over the front entrance. A bigger courthouse would also better serve the county's population which had grown from 5,073 in 1880 to 18,347 in 1910. Judge Felix Ewing recommended the site at the top of California Street for

3496-495: The most imposing public structures in California, and a credit to the seat of government of the prosperous lima bean section." Notable design features of the facade include white glazed terra cotta panels and decorations, including 24 whimsical faces of Franciscan friars, fluted Doric columns, a copper-sheathed dome and cupola, Roman-arched windows, and ornate brass gates and double doors. The interior design features include extensive use of Italian marble, bronze balustrades , and

3572-416: The nationally publicized murder trial of Elizabeth Ann Duncan . Duncan was accused of hiring two men to kidnap and kill her daughter-in-law, a nurse named Olga Duncan. The daughter-in-law was six-and-a-half months pregnant and was beaten with a wrench, pistol-whipped, strangled and dumped in a shallow grave off Casitas Pass Road. The coverage of the trial was so extensive that an extra 150 seats were added to

3648-404: The new city hall. The city has continued to incur substantial expense to maintain and replace the building's signature, glazed terra cotta tiles. In 1986, the City set aside $ 1 million for work on the structure, most of that being required to replace 547 damaged tiles on the building's western annex. The new expenditures brought the city's total renovation costs to $ 8 million. In 2001, the City had

3724-464: The northern portion of the community. Much of the eastern portion is on a relatively flat alluvial coastal plain lying along the western edge of the Oxnard Plain . Several Barrancas extend from the foothills to the Santa Clara River which forms the city's southerly boundary. The city extends up to the beginning of the Santa Clara River Valley at the historic community of Saticoy . Ventura

3800-505: The oil fields in the 1920s, along with the building of better roads to Los Angeles and the affordability of automobiles, enabled a major real estate boom. Symphony concerts and Little League teams were sponsored by the oil companies. Contemporary downtown Ventura is defined by extant buildings from this period. Landmarks built during the oil boom include Ventura Theatre (1928), the First Baptist Church of Ventura (1926),

3876-552: The oldest form of jewelry known, dating back over 100,000 years. The oldest known jewelry in the world consists of two perforated beads made from shells of the sea snail Nassarius gibbosulus . These beads were discovered at Skhul in Israel, and were recently dated to between 100,000 and 135,000 years ago. Similar ornaments (some made from shells of Nassarius kraussianus and the bittersweet clam Glycymeris nummaria as well as from Nassarius gibbosulus ) have been discovered at

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3952-490: The other five finalists. The Majestic Ventura Theater is an early 20th-century landmark in the downtown. It has been a venue for concerts such as The Doors , Pearl Jam , Van Halen , X , Ray Charles , Red Hot Chili Peppers , Social Distortion , Bad Religion , Fugazi , Incubus , Tom Petty , They Might Be Giants , and Johnny Cash , as well as homegrown artists like KYLE , Cirith Ungol , Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Army of Freshmen . The Ventura County Fairgrounds

4028-454: The past." The courthouse has been designated as a historic building at the federal, state, county, and city levels. In December 1970, it was designated as Ventura County Historic Landmark No. 12. Five months later, in May 1971, it was designated as California Historical Landmark No. 847. Three months after that, in August 1971, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places ,

4104-462: The point of delivery. In November 2020, a ballot measure for taxation of cannabis was approved by city voters. The City Council adopted a resolution allowing a maximum number of cannabis businesses in the city in February 2021. The ordinances allow up to three retail permits and up to 10 distribution permits. In October 2022, the City Manager selected four businesses to be allowed to operate in

4180-461: The population. The Census reported that 103,940 people (97.7% of the population) lived in households, 755 (0.7%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,738 (1.6%) were institutionalized. There were 40,438 households, out of which 13,014 (32.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 18,907 (46.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,936 (12.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,153 (5.3%) had

4256-520: The renovations, and another million dollars was to be obtained through federal revenue sharing funds. The new City Hall was dedicated in a ceremony held on December 29, 1973. It opened for business in early January 1974. The building became Ventura City Hall in January 1974 when the majority of the city's offices were relocated from the former city hall at 625 E. Santa Clara Street to the renovated courthouse. The old city hall had only 12,240 square feet of space, compared to approximately 49,000 square feet in

4332-421: The shell layer known as mother of pearl or nacre , and the "trapdoor" or operculum which is part of some sea snails. In recent times, inexpensive shell jewelry is often found at tropical beach destinations, where it is offered to tourists as informal wear, or as a souvenir . However, shell jewelry has a very ancient past, and is of great importance in archeology and anthropology . In fact, shell beads are

4408-493: The soccer clubs Ventura County Football Club and Ventura County Fusion , of USL League Two . Ventura is also home to the Ventura Raceway, a 1/5mile dirt track which hosts an array of auto racing events throughout the year, including the prestigious Turkey Night Grand Prix. Ventura had an at-large system of electing council members but changed to seven council districts in 2018 due to threatened legal action based on

4484-625: The state, county and city levels. Built from 1912 to 1913, the Neoclassical courthouse was designed by the Los Angeles architect Albert C. Martin Sr. in a Beaux Arts style. The building's facade includes white glazed terra cotta panels and decorations, including 24 whimsical faces of Franciscan friars, fluted Doric columns, a copper-sheathed dome and cupola, as well as Roman-arched windows. The second-floor city council chambers (previously

4560-524: The structure for $ 145,000 with the intention of making it the City Hall. Over a 17-month period from mid-1972 to December 1973, the 45,284-square-foot building was renovated and strengthened at a cost of approximately $ 3.4 million. Ted Fisher was the architect for the renovation, and MacLeod Construction was the general contractor. Key elements of the renovation included the following: The city received more than $ 630,000 in federal grants to assist in funding

4636-651: The students, faculty and staff of the college as well as the general public of Ventura County. The Research Library of the Museum of Ventura County holds books and archival materials related to the history of the county and surrounding regions. Its holdings are catalogued in the Ventura County Library system and the Central Coast Museum Consortium, and the library is open to the public. Ventura County Law Library, located in

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4712-533: The three retail businesses that were selected filed a lawsuit against the city for a court order that would end the appeals and force the city to issue them permits. The other five finalists had appealed, resulting in a lengthy delay while the appeal was sent to the California Office of Administrative Hearings. The city decided in late July to issue permits to the three businesses already selected immediately after August 31 and also issue permits to three of

4788-515: The trees was destroyed by high winds. There are three branches of the Ventura County Library in the City of Ventura: E.P. Foster Library on Main Street, Avenue Library on Ventura Avenue, and Hill Road Library on the east side of the city. Saticoy Library is in the unincorporated area of Saticoy outside the east end of the city of Ventura. The Evelyn and Howard Boroughs Library of Ventura College , dedicated in 2005, serves

4864-522: The year successfully lobbied the California Legislature to create Ventura County. The land, donated by Bishop Thaddeus Amat , was carved out of the gardens at the Mission San Buenaventura at a location between Santa Clara, Meta (now Thompson), Figueroa, and Junipero Streets. After the new courthouse opened in 1913, the old courthouse remained vacant, though it was used for a time as housing for indigent Mexican families. The old courthouse

4940-494: Was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%. 59,330 people (55.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 44,610 people (41.9%) lived in rental housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 100,916 people, 38,524 households, and 25,233 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,790.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,849.7/km ). There were 39,803 housing units at an average density of 1,889.5 per square mile (729.5/km ). The racial makeup of

5016-614: Was 3.14. The population was spread out, with 23,918 people (22.5%) under the age of 18, 9,581 people (9.0%) aged 18 to 24, 28,814 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 29,957 people (28.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 14,163 people (13.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males. There were 42,827 housing units at an average density of 1,334.4 per square mile (515.2/km ), of which 22,600 (55.9%) were owner-occupied, and 17,838 (44.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate

5092-407: Was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 52,297, and the other income for a family was $ 60,466. Males had a median income of $ 43,828 versus $ 31,793 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 25,065. About 6.4% of families and 9.0% of the population were below

5168-423: Was accelerated by concerns about the seismic stability of the downtown courthouse. After a small earthquake in 1968, judges refused to hold court in the main courtroom, expressing concern that the stained-glass dome might crash down on them. (An earthquake in 1954 had caused pieces of plaster to fall from the ceiling in the courtroom and law library.) The County asked a structural engineer, W. D. Crouch Jr., to examine

5244-610: Was built in 1872 at a cost of $ 45,000 and was the longest wooden pier in California. By 1917, it had been rebuilt to a length of 1,700 feet (520 m). Much of the pier was destroyed by a storm in 1995, but it was subsequently rebuilt. In 1913, the Rincon Sea Level Road and the Ventura River Bridge opened. The large Ventura Oil Field was first drilled in 1919 and at its peak produced 90,000 barrels per day (14,000 m /d). The development of

5320-488: Was celebrated in two days of events with a crowd estimated at 20,000 attending the festivities. The festivities began on the first day with a lengthy parade featuring seven bands, four companies of seamen and marines from the USS South Dakota anchored at Ventura, decorated automobiles, and floats from every chamber of commerce and lodge in the county, including one built in the shape of a giant lima bean pod (then

5396-596: Was commissioned to design the new courthouse. Martin's Los Angeles works include Los Angeles City Hall , the May Company Building , and St. Vincent de Paul Church . His Ventura County works include St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo and the Bella Maggiore Inn in downtown Ventura. The courthouse was built in 1912 and 1913 at a cost of $ 278,000. The July 1913 dedication of the courthouse

5472-629: Was eventually incorporated as a city in 1866. The 1920s brought a major oil boom which significantly developed and expanded Ventura, a growth that continued with the post–World War II economic expansion . Archaeological discoveries in the area suggest that humans have populated the region for at least 10,000–12,000 years. Archaeological research demonstrates that the Chumash people have deep roots in central and southern coastal regions of California, and has revealed artifacts from their culture. Shisholop Village, designated Historic Point of Interest #18 by

5548-809: Was found; at the time the shell was used there, this site was at least 190 km away from the sea. Shell ornaments were very common during the Upper Paleolithic , from 50–40,000 years ago onwards, when they spread with modern humans to Europe and Asia. They generally take the form of perforated shells (as well as other hard organic material such as tooth , bone , antler and mammoth ivory) which are thought to have been suspended and used as jewelry. The most commonly found species are Homalopoma sanguineum , Littorina obtusata , Cyclope species, Nassarius mutabilis and Nassarius gibbosulus . Fossil shells were used alongside those of contemporary species. Some shells were stained with ochre . In Europe,

5624-413: Was founded in Ventura. Research and resource company The Barna Group is located near downtown Ventura. In 2009 the City of Ventura created Ventura Ventures Technology Center, a business incubator with a high-tech focus. Ventura Ventures Technology Center was created as an economic engine to develop jobs and companies locally, as well as attract entrepreneurs to the area. The Trade Desk was started in

5700-433: Was ultimately demolished in 1921 by contractor A. Pefley who purchased the building from the county for $ 200 and salvaged 200,000 bricks from the structure. A 2007 archaeological dig uncovered a portion of the mission era wall foundation built with 40 to 50 pound stones as expected from historical surveys and maps. The dig found artifacts from many periods besides the first courthouse, jail, and first hospital including signs of

5776-723: Was widened and improved by 1969, is known as the Ventura Freeway , which directly links Ventura with the rest of the Greater Los Angeles . In 2017, the Thomas Fire started north of Ventura in Santa Paula . Propelled by the Santa Ana Winds , the fire spread into hillside neighborhoods of Ventura and the area above downtown. The fire burned down 504 residences burned in the city. Main Street in

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