City of Ventura Historic Landmarks and Districts


The City of Ventura Historic Landmarks and Districts consist of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods designated by the City of Ventura, California, as historic landmarks and districts.
The first six sites designated as Ventura Historic Landmarks were selected in February 1974. They are: the Olivas Adobe, the Ortega Adobe, the Father Serra statue, Ventura City Hall, the Grant Park cross site, and the Mission Plaza archeological site. In July 1974, the City also designated a second group of landmarks, including the Conklin residence, the Mission San Buenaventura, the Mission's Norfolk pine trees, and two large Moreton Bay fig trees located in city parks.
As of April 10, 2018, the City had designated 111 sites as Ventura Historic Landmarks and five areas as Ventura Historic Districts. The first historic district designated by the city was the Mission Historic District, extending from Poli Street at the northern border to Santa Clara Street at the southern border, and from Ventura Avenue on the west to Palm Street on the east. The Mission Historic District consists of the oldest section of the city's downtown area and includes more than 10 historic landmarks, including the Mission, the Mission Plaza archeological site, the Mission's Norfolk pines, the Mission Plaza Moreton Bay fig tree, Peirano Store, the Carlo Hahn House, the Mission Lavanderia, and China Alley.
A map depicting the location of Ventura's designated historic landmarks and districts can be viewed by clicking "OpenStreetMap" or "Google Maps" in the template found to the right below.

Ventura Historic Landmarks

VHL No.NameImageAddressDate listedDescription
1Olivas Adobe4200 Olivas Park Drive
2/11/74A one-story adobe structure was built in 1837 and expanded in 1849 by Don Raimundo Olivas; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and designated as California Historical Landmark No. 115; operated as a museum
2Ortega Adobe215 W. Main St.
2/11/74Adobe structure first built in 1857; the roof of the adobe used tiles from the Mission after the 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake; it became the first home of the Ortega chili company; open to public for self-guided tours
3Father Serra statue501 Poli St.
2/11/74Concrete statue of Junípero Serra in front of Ventura City Hall commissioned by Ventura County through the Works Progress Administration as part of the Federal Art Project. The original statue, sculpted by Uno John Palo Kangas, was replaced in 1989 with a bronze cast. Bronze and wood replicas are not deemed historic. Location of original concrete is not disclosed.
4Ventura City Hall501 Poli St.
2/11/74Neoclassical courthouse built in 1912, designed by Albert C. Martin Sr.; became Ventura City Hall in 1972; terra cotta exterior decorations, friars' heads, and copper-sheathed dome; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated as California Historical Landmark No. 847 and Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 12
5Grant Park cross siteFerro Drive
2/11/74Site in Grant Park where a cross has been located for many year; some accounts indicate that the first cross was erected in 1782; the cross has been replaced several times, most recently in 1941
6Mission Plaza archeological site100 Block E. Main St.
2/11/74A one-and-a-half acre archaeological site west of the Mission San Buenaventura; the Albinger Museum is part of the site
7Conklin residence608 E. Thompson Blvd.
5/6/74Cape Cod style house originally built in 1877; part of the Mitchell Block Historic District
8Mission Norfolk Pines211 E. Main St.
7/1/74Norfolk Island pine trees located adjacent to the San Buenaventura Mission, planted in the 1880s, lit during the Christmas season; designated in 2000 as California's Millennium Landmark Trees
9Mound Pepper Tree5430 Telegraph Rd.7/1/74Pepper tree formerly located on site of the Mound Guest House; had a trunk circumference of 23.5 feet, a height of, and a branch spread of ; no longer exists
10Mission San Buenaventura211 E. Main St.
7/1/74The ninth Spanish mission established in California, established in 1782 by Father Junípero Serra; also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and designated as California Historical Landmark #310
11Plaza Park Moreton Bay Fig TreeCorner of Chestnut and Santa Clara Streets
7/1/74Ficus macrophylla planted in 1874, 68 feet high with 130 foot branch spread
12Mission Plaza Moreton Bay Fig Tree100 block E. Main St.
7/1/74Ficus macrophylla circa 1874, part of the Mission district on the National Register of Historic Places
13Baker residence2107 Poli St.
9/23/75Victorian house built in 1888
14Judge Ewing residence605 Poli St.
9/23/75Queen Anne revival style house with wrap-around porch built in 1894; the interior includes a library with carved paneling and tile floors
15Theodore Groene Building592 E. Main St.
10/27/75Built in 1920s for Ventura Guarantee and Loan, later became Bahn's Jewelry Store, now operated as Limon y Sal; has interior murals by Norman Kennedy; original white paint removed 1982
16San Miguel Chapel SiteThompson Blvd. and Palm St.
10/27/75Archaeological site at the location of the first outpost and center of operations that was established while the Mission San Buenaventura was being constructed
17First Baptist Church of Ventura101 S. Laurel St.
12/1/75Mayan Revival church built in 1931, now operated as the Ventura Center for Spiritual Living; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009
18Shisholop Village Site/Cabrillo's LandingBeachfront at south end of Figueroa Street12/22/75Site of Chumash village settled after 1000 A.D.; visited by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542
19Elizabeth Bard Memorial Hospital121 N. Fir St.
3/8/76Opened as a hospital in 1902, now an office building; design is Mission Revival; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977
20Ventura PierHarbor Blvd. east of California St.
3/29/76Wooden wharf first built in 1872, partially destroyed and rebuilt on multiple occasions; it was the longest wooden pier in California until a storm sheered off 420 feet in 1995
21Emmanuel Franz House31 N. Oak St.
3/29/76Italianate style house built in 1879; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982
22Magnolia tree739 E. Santa Clara St.3/29/76Removed in 2002
23Great Pacific Iron Works235 W. Santa Clara St.
10/4/76Originally operated as Hobson Brothers meat packing business, now owned and operated by Patagonia
24Ventura Theatre26 S. Chestnut St.
10/4/76Movie palace built in 1928, now a live music venue; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986
25First Post Office Building377 E. Main St.
10/4/76Built in 1902, used as Post Office until 1919; Cafe du Suro bakery now operates on the ground floor with offices on the second floor
26Hitching post88 N. Ann St.
10/4/76Last hitching post in the city
27Apostolic Church902 E. Main St.
12/20/76Originally operated as the Alice Bartlett Club
28Southern Methodist Episcopal Church896 E. Main St.
7/11/77Built in 1890, later operated as Victorian Rose Bed & Breakfast
29Post Office murals675 E. Santa Clara St.
10/24/77Painted 1936-1937 by Gordon Grant as part of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Art Project
30Livery/county garage34 N. Palm St.
11/21/77Began use in 1875 as a livery stable; used as a studio for the carving of a wooden replica of the Father Serra statue; has also been used as a coffeehouse music venue, an arts center, and, later, as an improvisational comedy theater
31Packard Garage42 N. Chestnut St.
11/21/77Built in 1925 as an automobile show room, now headquarters of The Trade Desk
32Peirano Store204 E. Main St.
1/16/78Red brick structure built in 1877 with ornamental relief brickwork; the City's oldest surviving brick structure; operated as a general merchandise and, later, grocery store by the Peirano family for more than 100 years; archaeological remains of the Mission Lavanderia discovered under the structure in 1991
33Peirano residence107 S. Figueroa St.
1/16/78Occupied by the Peirano family from 1897 to 1976
34Theodosia Burr Shepherd GardensSE corner of Poli and Chestnut
7/17/78Garden of a famous horticulturalist; only remaining plants are a star pine and birds of paradise
35Feraud General Merchandise Store2 W. Main St.
7/17/78Bakery and grocery store opened in 1903, now operated as Paddy's Bar and Lounge; also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986
36First National Bank of Ventura 401 E. Main St.
8/13/78Built in 1903 as first location for First National Bank of Ventura; the shop Latitudes now operates on the ground floor
37First National Bank of Ventura 494 E. Main St.
10/16/78Operated by various banks, later retail; ground floor underwent restoration work in 2017
38Bank of Italy Building394 E. Main St.
12/4/78Built 1923-24 in Italian Renaissance revival style; Corinthian columns and elaborate terra cotta carvings on facade
39Dr. T. E. Cunnane Residence128 S. California St.
12/18/78Queen Anne revival cottage style home
40A. C. Martin Building 69 S. California St.
4/9/79Spanish Renaissance style building designed by Albert C. Martin Sr., built in 1926, operated as the Bella Maggiore Inn
41Robert Sudden residence825 Front St.
4/9/79Built in 1886, moved in 1916
42Robert M. Sheridan Residence1029 Poli St.
5/21/79American Craftsman bungalow
43Chaffee & McKeeby / Einstein & BernheimMain St. & Palm St.5/21/79Commercial structure built in 1872, it housed two general merchandise stores and later the Great Eastern Department Store; at the southeast corner where Rabo Bank now operates; demolished in December 1979
44Dudley House197 N. Ashwood Ave.
1/21/801892 Victorian farmhouse now operated by San Buenaventura Heritage, Inc., as an event venue; listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977
45Righetti House125 W. Park Row Ave.
1/21/80Queen Anne revival house with Classical Revival elements
46Selwyn Shaw House140 N. Ann St.
1/21/80Queen Anne revival house built in 1888; part of the Selwyn Shaw Historic District
47Jacques Roos House82 S. Ash St.
3/17/80Queen Anne revival cottage style home with Eastlake influences, built in 1892
48Dacy Fazio House557 E. Thompson Blvd.
4/14/80American Craftsman bungalow built in 1910
49Terry House4949 Foothill Rd.
7/14/80Farm house built in 1917, once operated as a Unitarian church
50Bert Shaw House1141 Poli St.
9/15/80Victorian house built in 1896 with a modified Palladian window on the front
51Blackstock House835 E. Main St.
9/15/80Built in 1901 on the site of city hall, moved in 1911 to its present site
52Sifford House162 S. Ash St.
9/15/80Built in 1895, includes a portico columned front door, framed by a horseshoe shaped arch
53Nellie Clover House857 E. Main St.
11/80Turn of the century cottage with Italianate cornice and Corinthian columns; later an office for Ventura County Jewish Family Service
54Kimball House7891 E. Telephone Rd.
7/81Built in 1928, house has Colonial and Mission elements
55Dunning House932 E. Main St.
9/81California bungalow built approximately 1920
56Granger House1206 E. Main St.
1/82Victorian house with high-pitched hipped roof topped with iron cresting and intersecting gables
57Morrison House331 Poli St.
5/18/82Victorian house with Eastlake details; the house was originally located at 1785 N. Ventura Avenue and was moved in 1985
58San Buenaventura Mission AqueductEast end of Vince and Lewis Streets8/2/82Seven-mile long aqueduct built starting in 1792 to supply water to the Mission San Buenaventura and local farms; the aqueduct began at the convergence point of San Antonio Creek and the Ventura River. The section of the aqueduct in the photograph is located at 234 Cañada Larga Road, 1/4 block east of Highway 33, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 28 and California Historic Landmark No. 114.
59Blackburn House721 E. Main St.
1/9/84Queen Anne revival house with Colonial Revival elements built in 1896; now offices for McCarthy Companies
60Alessandro LagoonVista Del Mar Dr. & Alessandro Dr.
12/82Known in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as Chautaqua Flats, the area was camping and amusement enterprises; later a freshwater refuge on the Pacific Flyway; the seven-acre site extends east from the junction of Vista Del Mar and Alessandro Drives for about three-tenths of a mile along Alessandro Drive to the west of the northern border fence for Highway 101.
61Elwell House143 S. Figueroa St.
3/7/85Built in 1892, now used as offices
62Suyter House1157 Poli St.
4/22/85Queen Anne revival style house built by Selwyn Shaw, 1890-91; part of the Selwyn Shaw Historic District
63El Jardin Patio Bldg.451-461 E. Main St.
Two-story shopping court built in the 1920s; an archway on Main Street leads into the landscaped courtyard
64Robert Brakey Residence413 Poli St.
10/14/85Victorian house built in 1890, later operated as the La Mer bed and breakfast
65Judge Ben T. Williams House386 Franklin Lane
1/26/87Queen Anne revival ranch house with Stick Eastlake influence built c. 1890; originally located on Ventura Avenue, but moved c. 1950 to Franklin Lane
66Charles Corcoran House831 Buena Vista St.
4/1/86Spanish Colonial Revival house built in 1930
67Charles Cooper House163 Cedar St.
10/14/86Built in 1886 by a local carpenter
68Josiah Keene House41 Bell Way
9/28/87Second Empire/Victorian house with steep mansard roof built in 1872; also designated in 1970 as Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 33.
69Hartman House73 N. Palm St.
9/28/87American Craftsman bungalow built c. 1911
70J. A. Day House759 E. Poli St.
4/25/88Victorian house built in 1889 in the Stick-Eastlake style
71Ventura County Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Bldg.692 E. Main St.
4/25/88Art Deco or Moderne style concrete office building with Aztec Revival flower elements designed by architect William W. Ache; later operated as a Mexican restaurant and then as the Fluid State bar
72Erburu House2465 Hall Canyon Rd.
1/5/89American Craftsman bungalow built in 1909
73McCoskey Love House119 S. Figueroa St.
7/17/89Victorian house with Italianate influence; originally located at corner of Chestnut and Santa Clara; now used as offices
74Kate Duval House953 E. Main St.
7/17/89Queen Anne revival cottage built in 1902
75J. Hoover Love House970 E. Santa Clara St.
7/17/89House with Mediterranean Revival exterior and Arts and Crafts interior, built in 1923
76Mabel Nellie Owen House93 W. Simpson St.
1/22/90Home of a local activist, designated as a landmark; located in the Simpson Tract. Owen and her husband bought the house at the end of World War II and lived there for many years.
77Dr. Cephus Bard House52 W. Mission Ave.
4/1/91House built in 1886 for Ventura's first American doctor, who founded the Elizabeth Bard Hospital as a tribute to his mother
78Carlo Hahn House211 E. Santa Clara St.
7/15/91Victorian house built in 1905, then rebuilt and expanded in 1971; operated by a series of restaurants and bars
79Hammonds/Reese House637-639 Poli St.
9/14/92Queen Anne revival house with Colonial Revival elements and a wraparound porch, built in 1905
80Pierpont Inn550 Sanjon Rd.
2/1/93American Craftsman bungalow-style inn built in 1910 for motoring tourists
81Arthur D. Briggs House856 E. Thompson Blvd.
5/10/93Queen Anne style house built in 1894
82Tudor House301 S. Dunning St.
10/13/93English Tudor revival house built in 1929 on hill overlooking the ocean
83Arcade Building38-50 W. Main St.
3/21/94Built in the 1920s, it has been operated as Dodge, Chrysler, Edsel, Jaguar, and vintage car dealerships
84Cassidy Dairy Ranch3908 Loma Vista Rd.
5/16/94Colonial Revival house built by Selwyn Shaw in 1894
85San Buenaventura Mission Lavanderia204-208 E. Main St.
11/14/94Archaeological remains of the Mission's lavanderia discovered in 1991 under storage rooms of the Peirano Market and Wilson Studio buildings
86Erle Stanley Gardner Office21 S. California St.
2/6/95Law office of Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason books, was located at the northeast corner on the third floor
87Casa de Anza606-612 N. Ventura Ave., 11-15 E. Simpson St.
3/23/98Spanish Colonial Revival apartment building built in 1929 to house oil workers with retail on first floor; a city library branch now operates on the ground floor
88WWII artillery emplacementsNear Ventura River Mouth
9/98Camp Seaside artillery site built in 1942 in response to the Bombardment of Ellwood, a Japanese submarine attack on the Ellwood Oil Field; located on the west side of the Ventura River estuary within the borders of Emma Wood State Beach
89Norton Ranch House71 N. Palm St.
10/98American Craftsman style house built in 1910 on a walnut farm in east Ventura; moved to its present location in 1990 where it became a French restaurant
90John C. Fremont Camp100 Block E. Main Street1/11/99On January 5, 1847, during the Mexican–American War, John C. Frémont and elements of his California Battalion encamped in an orchard west of the Mission orchard's wall; there was a skirmish with locals in which a merchant, Don Jose Arnaz, was captured and forced to provide supplies.
91China Alley Historic Area200 Block E. Main Street
Perpendicular to Figueroa Street between Main and Santa Clara StreetsCenter of Chinese settlement and commercial activity starting in the early 1880s
92Louis Rudolph Craftsman Bungalow958 E. Santa Clara St.
3/02American Craftsman bungalow built in 1922
93Petit Tudor1725 Miramar Dr.
10/02English Tudor house built in 1929, designed by John C. Austin
94Rancho Attilio Site10814 Telephone Rd.
3/27/06117-acre ranch established in 1916 by Attilio Vanoni; associated with the development of the Saticoy area; the small parcel on Telephone Road is the site of the original Vanoni homestead
95Mayfair Theater Site793 East Santa Clara St.
3/27/06Site of Moderne movie palace designed by S. Charles Lee, it later became an adult theater; damaged by fire in 2000 and demolished in 2004
96Coast Live Oak TreeThompson Blvd. and Palm St.
3/27/06Located at the southwest corner of the San Miguel Chapel site, a Coast Live Oak tree with a diameter of 52 inches
97Matthew H. Arnold Residence92 North Fir St.
3/27/06Colonial Revival house built in 1907
98Lewis Rudolph Residence86 Encinal Place
10/15/07Spanish Revival house built in 1927; the family of Olympic gold medalist Mike Larrabee lived in the house
99Elks Ventura Lodge No. 143011 S. Ash St.
5/5/08Spanish Colonial Revival structure built in 1928; occupied by the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks from 1928 to 2004.
100Ventura Avenue Water Purification Plant5895 N. Ventura Ave.
2/5/08Spanish Colonial Revival administration building constructed in 1938; designated as well for representing the city's water development history
101Harry S. Valentine House993 E. Santa Clara St.
3/10/08Craftsman house with Oriental influences, built in 1915
102McGuire Building/Pythian Castle315-321 E. Main St.
Built 1906-1907, commercial structure includes decorative brick facade with a recessed X and O pattern and friezes
103Strickland Residence1660 Poli St.
9/21/09Designated for association with notable women, including Florence Brigham and her daughter Helen Brigham
104Hobart-Barr-Lucking Residence230 S. Ash St.
7/19/10Colonial Revival house built between 1902 and 1906
105Thomas Gavin Gabbert Farmhouse280 Parsons Ave.
9/27/10Craftsman style farmhouse built between 1910 and 1914
106Lucking Residence244 S. Ash St.
8/6/12Colonial Revival house with a rock foundation and decorative wood posts, pilasters, carved dentils; built by Franklin and Julia Cook Hobart between 1892 and 1905
107Albert G. and Maude Shaffer Residence134 Chrisman Ave.
10/21/13Spanish Colonial Revival house built in 1927
108Swift and Company Building305 S. Kalorama St.
5/5/14Spanish Colonial with Mission Revival influences
109Frederick Neill & Ida Foster Baker Residence1093 Poli St.
5/8/17Craftsman style house
110The Mission Hotel building79-97 S. Oak St.
5/8/17Built in 1926 in Spanish Colonial Revival style; a pawn shop and an antique doll shop currently operate on the ground level
111The Hamilton Hotel 363-367 E. Main St.
5/8/17Commercial block built in 1924 with decorative brick facade with hotel name and letter "H" etched into recesses

Ventura Historic Districts

NameImageBoundariesDescription
Mission Historic DistrictSanta Clara St., Ventura Ave., Poli St., Palm Street The oldest section of downtown Ventura surrounding Mission San Buenaventura; the district includes more than 10 historic landmarks.
Mitchell Block Historic DistrictPlaza Park/Houses at 608, 620, 632, 644, 658, 670, 682 and 692 Thompson Boulevard
The district includes Plaza Park and the historic homes across Thompson Street from the park, including the Conklin Residence and the Mary Mitchell House; "the only intact and relatively unaltered block of houses remaining downtown"
Selwyn Shaw Historic DistrictBuena Vista St., Ann St., Hemlock St., Poli St.
City block northwest of downtown includes three historic landmarks: Selwyn Shaw House; Suyter House; and Bert Shaw House.
Simpson Tract Historic DistrictSheridan Way, Ventura Avenue, W. Prospect St., W. Simpson St.
Four city blocks and 182 homes located west of Ventura Avenue, built from 1925 to 1930 provided affordable housing to workers during the city's oil boom; designated a historic district in 1990
Ivy Lawn Cemetery Historic District5400 Valentine Rd.
Cemetery deemed a historic district in 2013 for its architecture and as the burial place of historically-important people

Other designations

Other Ventura sites receiving historic designations: