National Register of Historic Places listings in Ventura County, California facts for kids

A map showing Ventura County in California

This page lists amazing and important places in Ventura County, California, that are part of the National Register of Historic Places. Think of it like a special list of buildings, areas, and even shipwrecks that are super important to history!

These places are chosen because they tell a big part of America's story. There are 38 such places in Ventura County, and one of them is so special it's called a National Historic Landmark. This means it's one of the most important historic sites in the entire country!

Cool Historic Places in Ventura County

Anacapa Island Archeological District

This area on Anacapa Island is a very old site where people lived long, long ago. It's a place where archaeologists study the past to learn about early human life.

Anacapa Island from above

Anacapa Island Light Station

This is a historic lighthouse located on Anacapa Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park. Lighthouses were super important for guiding ships safely before modern navigation.

The Anacapa Island Lighthouse

Elizabeth Bard Memorial Hospital

Located in Ventura, this building was once a hospital. It was added to the National Register in 1977, showing its importance in the history of healthcare in the area.

The Elizabeth Bard Memorial Hospital building

Bardsdale United Methodist Church

This beautiful church in Fillmore was built in 1898. It's a great example of "carpenter gothic" style architecture, which means it looks like a fancy, old-fashioned wooden building.

The Bardsdale United Methodist Church

Berylwood

Berylwood was once a huge 62-acre estate belonging to the Bard family in Port Hueneme. During World War II, the Navy used it, and the government bought it in 1951.

The Bard Mansion at Berylwood

Burro Flats Painted Cave

This cave near Bell Canyon is special because it has amazing Chumash pictographs (rock paintings). These paintings tell us about the art and beliefs of the native people who lived here.

Ancient pictographs inside Burro Flats Painted Cave

Camarillo Ranch House

The Camarillo Ranch House in Camarillo is a large, 15-room house built in 1892. It was built by the Camarillo family, who the city of Camarillo is named after!

The historic Camarillo Ranch House

Case Study House No. 28

This is a unique house in Thousand Oaks that was part of the famous Case Study Houses program. These houses were built in the mid-1900s to explore new ideas in modern architecture and design.

Case Study House No. 28

Colony House (Simi, California)

The Colony House in Simi Valley is a "kit house," meaning it was built from a pre-designed kit. It's now on display at a historical park, showing how people lived long ago.

The Colony House in Simi Valley

Dudley House (Ventura, California)

The Dudley House in Ventura is another historic home that tells us about the past. It was added to the National Register in 1977.

The Dudley House in Ventura

George Washington Faulkner House

This historic house in Santa Paula was added to the National Register in 1991. It's an important part of the local history.

The George Washington Faulkner House

Feraud General Merchandise Store

This building in Ventura was once a historic bakery! Now, it's a bar, but its original structure reminds us of its past life.

The Feraud General Merchandise Store building

First Baptist Church of Ventura

This church in Ventura was recognized for its historical importance in 2009. It's a significant part of the city's religious and architectural history.

The First Baptist Church of Ventura

Glen Tavern Hotel

The Glen Tavern Hotel in Santa Paula is a historic hotel that has been around since 1984. It's a landmark in the city.

The Glen Tavern Hotel

Stagecoach Inn (California)

Originally built in 1876 in Newbury Park, this structure was sadly destroyed by fire in 1970. But don't worry! It was rebuilt and reopened in 1976 as a historical museum, now known as the Stagecoach Inn.

The Stagecoach Inn

Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village

This is a truly unique place in Simi Valley! It's a folk art collection made from bottles and other found objects. A woman named Tressa Prisbrey started building it in 1956. It's a wonderful example of creative art.

A part of Grandma Prisbrey's Bottle Village

Joel McCrea Ranch

This was a working ranch in Thousand Oaks owned by the famous actor Joel McCrea. He ran the ranch from the 1930s to the 1970s. It's a glimpse into the life of a Hollywood star who also loved the land.

Buildings at the Joel McCrea Ranch

Mission San Buenaventura

Located in Ventura, this is one of the historic Spanish missions in California. It was founded in 1782 and is a very important site for understanding California's early history.

Mission San Buenaventura

Olivas Adobe

The Olivas Adobe in Ventura is a special two-story adobe building. It was first built as a small one-story home in 1837 and then expanded in 1849 by Don Raimundo Olivas. It's the only early two-story adobe in the Santa Clara River Valley!

The historic Olivas Adobe

Carnegie Art Museum (Oxnard, California)

This building in Oxnard was originally the Oxnard Public Library, built with money from Andrew Carnegie. It's now an art museum, showing how old buildings can find new purposes.

The Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard

Henry T. Oxnard Historic District

This district in Oxnard is a neighborhood filled with historic homes. It's a great place to see what houses looked like in the past.

A historic house in the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District

Rancho Camulos

Rancho Camulos in Piru is a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's one of the most important historic places in the entire country! It's a historic ranch that shows what life was like in early California.

Rancho Camulos

St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel (Ojai, California)

This chapel in Ojai was added to the National Register in 1995. It's a significant religious and architectural site in the Ojai Valley.

The St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, now the Ojai Valley Museum

San Buenaventura Mission Aqueduct

These are the ruins of an old aqueduct in Ventura. It was built by Native Americans to bring water from the Ventura River to the San Buenaventura Mission. It's an amazing example of ancient engineering!

Ruins of the San Buenaventura Mission Aqueduct

San Miguel Chapel Site

This site in Ventura marks the location of the historic San Miguel Chapel. It's an important archaeological site that helps us understand the early history of the area.

The San Miguel Chapel Site

Union Oil Company Building

This building in Santa Paula was once the Santa Paula Hardware Company Block and then the Union Oil Company. It's a historic landmark in the city.

The Union Oil Company Building

Simi Adobe–Strathearn House

Located in Simi Valley, this site includes an old adobe building and a Victorian house built in 1892. These were the original homes of the Ranch Simi, showing how the area developed.

The Strathearn House in Simi Valley

SS Winfield Scott

This is a shipwreck located near Anacapa Island. The SS WINFIELD SCOTT was a steamship that sank, and its remains are now a protected historic site underwater.

An old drawing of the SS Winfield Scott

Ventura County Courthouse

The Ventura County Courthouse in Ventura is a grand building that has served as the center of justice for the county since 1971.

The Ventura County Courthouse

Ventura Theatre

The Ventura Theatre in Ventura is a historic theater that was built in 1986. Today, it's a very popular place for music concerts and other events in downtown Ventura.

The Ventura Theatre

Women's Improvement Club of Hueneme

This building in Port Hueneme was home to the Women's Improvement Club. These clubs were important for community development and social activities in the past.

The Women's Improvement Club of Hueneme building