VENTURA

formally San Buenaventura city, seat (1873) of Ventura county, California, U.S. It lies on the Pacific coast overlooking the Santa Barbara Channel. It is the site of the San Buenaventura Mission, the ninth and last mission founded (1782) by Junpero Serra, which was restored as a historic site. The city of Ventura developed as an agricultural (primarily lemon-growing) centre and later turned to petroleum production, tourism, and diversified manufacturing. Ventura (junior) College was established in 1925. Inc. town, 1866; city, 1906. Pop. (1990) city, 92,575; Oxnard-Ventura PMSA, 669,016; (1994 est.) city, 96,288; (1995 est.) Ventura PMSA, 710,018.