Serra Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Serra Cross |
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Serra Cross with Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands in background, April 2018
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1782 |
| Owner | Serra Cross Conservancy |
The Serra Cross, also known as the Cross on the Hill or the Grant Park Cross, is a large Christian cross located on a hill in Ventura, California. This hill is called "La Loma de la Cruz," which means "The Hill of the Cross." The cross stands in Serra Cross Park, a one-acre area within the larger Grant Park. From here, you can see amazing views of downtown Ventura, the Santa Barbara Channel, and nearby islands like Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island.
People believe the first cross was put up here in 1782. This was around the time the Mission San Buenaventura was founded. The cross has been replaced many times over the years. Some known replacements happened in the 1860s, 1912, and 1941. The site is recognized as California Historical Landmark No. 113 and City of Ventura Historical Landmark No. 5.
In 2003, there was a legal discussion about whether the city should use public money to take care of a religious symbol on city land. To solve this, the city agreed to dim the cross's lights. It also sold the one-acre site under the cross to a private, non-profit group. This group is now called the Serra Cross Conservancy.
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History of the Serra Cross
Building the First Cross
The Mission San Buenaventura was started by Junípero Serra on March 30, 1782. According to a 1928 account by E. M. Sheridan, putting up a cross in a visible spot was "the first act of the Mission Fathers." They wanted it to be a guide for people coming to the Mission by land or sea. Sheridan's story says Father Serra himself put up and blessed this first cross. The hill was then named "La Loma de la Cruz." The traditional story suggests the cross was built even before the Mission itself.
However, some historians disagree that Father Serra personally put up the cross in 1782. Father Zephyrin Engelhardt, in his 1930 history, said this was a mistake. He wrote that Father Serra would have placed and blessed a cross where the church altar would be, as was the custom. Engelhardt also noted that Father Serra was not in good enough health to climb the hill. There is also no official record of him raising a cross on the mount. Engelhardt was not sure exactly when the first cross was placed on the hill.
Father John Campala's Cross
The first cross eventually became old and fell down, likely in the early 1860s. Soon after, a new cross was built under the guidance of Father John Campala, also known as Padre Juan. He was the priest at the Mission San Buenaventura at that time. This second cross fell during a windstorm on November 2, 1875. A newspaper article from that time mentioned that the wooden cross had stood for a decade. It also said that a cross had always been replaced whenever it fell since the Mission was founded.
For more than 35 years after Father John Campala's cross fell, no new cross was put up. After the 1875 storm, a young girl named Ventura de Arnaz, about 16 years old, climbed the hill with her father. She found the top part of the cross, which had the letters "INRI" on it. She kept it as a souvenir. Later, Arnaz gave this piece to the Ventura Pioneer Museum, which is now The Museum of Ventura County. This headpiece is still "one of the prized possessions" of the museum today.
Rebuilding the Cross in 1912
In 1912, people started a movement to rebuild the cross on the hill. Myrtle Francis, Sol N. Sheridan, and Alice Bartlett led this effort. Trees were cut down in Santa Paula canyon to build the new cross. These logs were then shaped and prepared in Ventura.
On September 9, 1912, the new 26-foot cross was put up where the original cross was believed to have stood. A special ceremony was held to dedicate it, with a band and speeches. The local newspaper said that the town had never seen so many people gather for an event. The ceremony began at the Mission with the ringing of old bells. A procession then walked up the hill, led by Francisco Camarillo and a band. Many groups joined, including Franciscan fathers, club members, pioneers, and schoolchildren carrying a huge American flag. About 3,000 to 4,000 people gathered at the cross for its dedication.
After the cross was raised, the Franciscans blessed it, and children sang. Several speeches were given, and a poem about the cross was read by John S. McGroarty. In 1915, people in Ventura began an annual tradition of walking up the hill to the cross for an Easter sunrise service. In 1919, people asked for a road to be built to the cross through Grant Park.
On April 3, 1932, about 5,000 people gathered at the cross. They were celebrating 150 years since Father Serra founded the mission. After a procession from the Mission, an American flag was given to the city. A mass was held, choirs sang, and another poem by John S. McGroarty was read. Also in 1932, the cross was lit up for the first time. The Los Angeles Times newspaper said, "The red outline makes a striking image on the hillside."
The Fourth Cross in 1941
In 1941, the cross was replaced again by the Alice M. Bartlett Club. In 1966, the cross was placed on a platform and lit with fluorescent lights. In 1974, the cross site was one of the first six places named as a City of Ventura Historic Landmark. It was given the number Ventura Historic Landmark No. 5.
Legal Discussions About the Cross
Since at least 1991, people have discussed whether the City of Ventura should maintain a Christian cross on public land. Other crosses in California had been ordered to be removed because they were on public land.
In March 2003, a group called Americans United for Separation of Church and State and three Ventura County residents challenged the City of Ventura. They argued that the city was using public money to maintain a religious symbol on public land. Ventura's City Attorney, Bob Boehm, tried to argue that the Serra Cross was more than a religious symbol. He said it was a "time-honored landmark" with historical importance.
The debate about the cross was a big topic in Ventura County newspapers in 2003. Many people supported keeping the cross. For example, church members held a prayer vigil, and a group called Bikers for Christ held a rally.
In August 2003, the City decided to settle the issue to avoid a costly legal battle. As part of the agreement, the City sold the cross and the one-acre piece of land under it. The sale was open to all bidders. The agreement also said that the City had to stop using bright fluorescent lights on the cross at night. Any future lighting had to be softer ground lighting. The Ventura City Council approved this settlement.
The Serra Cross Conservancy
In September 2003, a non-profit group focused on historic preservation, San Buenaventura Heritage, bought the cross and the one-acre site. They paid $104,216.87 for it. This group was the highest bidder in an auction. One of the group's leaders, Christie Weir, said the cross would stay. She also mentioned that the organization included people of different faiths. She described the cross as a symbol of Ventura's mission history.
A new group, the Serra Cross Conservancy, was then formed, and the property was given to them. This group now takes care of the site as a public park called Father Serra Park. The Conservancy's website explains that the group wants to keep the park for many reasons. They value it for its history, and some see the cross as a religious symbol and a landmark for visitors. For many long-time residents, the cross is an important part of Ventura's identity.
Serra Cross Park is famous for its wide views of Ventura, the Santa Barbara Channel, and Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. The Conservancy also rents out the location for events like weddings. In December 2017, there were rumors that the Serra Cross had been destroyed in the Thomas Fire. However, these rumors were false, even though parts of the park around it were burned in the fire.
