Category Archives: History

Olivas Adobe ~ Ventura, California

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Since I have 13 photos in my collages on this post I decided to make this  my 23rd Thursday Thirteen entry.

The restored 1847 Adobe home of Raymundo Olivas stands as a monument to the rancho period of California’s history.

Born in 1809 in Los Angeles, Raymundo was the seventh child of a poor family. He joined the Mexican Army in California at the age of 16 and was assigned to the Presidio (fort) of Santa Barbara as a Lancer (cavalryman). He met his wife in Santa Barbara was married in 1832 and had 21 children -8 girls and 13 boys!

In return for his service to the State, Raymundo Olivas and his friend, Felipe Lorenzana, were granted 4,670 acres by the Mexican Governor Juan B. Alvarado. Raymundo began ranching his land in 1847. He started building this adobe home in 1847 with Chumash Indians providing the labor. The main house for the Rancho San Miguel was one of the few two story haciendas in Southern California and one of the most impressive homes in the Santa Clara River Valley.

 

For many years the Rancho prospered but droughts in the 1860’s and the death of Raymundo in 1879 was the beginning of the end for the Olivos fortune. The house was sold in 1899. After passing through many hands the Adobe was purchased by yeast king Major “Max” Fleischmann who restored the building in 1927 and built the distinctive bell archway. Upon Fleischmann’s death, the adobe was given to the city of Ventura and it opened as a museum in July, 1972

 

I’m going to go back and visit the grounds later in the Spring to visit the 100 year old fuchsias in the front yard and the 140-year old grapevine that can trace its roots to the days of Fray Junipero Serra and the missions.

I got the history information from the Historical Park brochure. They have a web site here.

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Photo Hunters ~ Wooden

When I was at the San Buenaventura Mission last Monday I took this photo of a wooden bell that was in the museum. You can see more of my photos from the mission here.

 

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.
For more Photo Hunters click here.

Sky Watch Friday ~

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

 

This was taken at the City Hall in the City of Ventura. This is Fray Junipero Serra who founded the Mission San Buenaventura. If you are interested in seeing more photos from the Mission he founded click here. The sky was clear and blue on this Saturday.

 

This great looking tree was kitty corner from the Statue and I liked how the sky looked through the branches.

This is the tree. I’ll need to do some research to see what kind of tree it is.

For more Sky Watch Photos click here.

TT #22 ~ Mission San Buenaventura 1782

   On President’s Day I drove up to Ventura to do some thrift store shopping and I took a side trip to the Mission by the Sea. Here are 13 or more Photos from the mission. There are 21 California Missions and this Mission was the 9th Mission founded.

The founding of San Buenaventura Mission was foreshadowed well over two centuries ago on the Spanish isle of Mallorca, when a devout Franciscan priest, who was a brilliant scholar and professor of theology, earnestly prayed that he might be permitted to forsake his comfortable circumstances to take up the Lord’s work among the aborigines in the New World. The hoped-for answer to his prayers came on Palm Sunday, March 30, 1749.

Thirty-three years and one day later the zealous priest, Fray Junipero Serra- who had been subjected to painful sufferings and several brushes with death during his missionary ministry – raised the Cross at “la playa de la canal de Santa Barbara” (the beach of the Santa Barbara Channel) on Easter Morning, March 31, 1782. Assisted by Padre Pedro Benito Cambon, he celebrated a High Mass, preached on the Resurrection, and dedicated a Mission to San Buenaventura (St. Bonaventure). It had been planned as the third in the chain of twenty-one Missions founded by Padre Serra but was destined to be the ninth and last founded during his lifetime, and one of six he personally dedicated.

 

The Department of the Interior certified this Mission as a Historic Building and gave it permanent reference in the Library of Congress.

 

The front door to the Mission Chapel and Fray Junipero Serra

 

An antique confessional and other artifacts in the mission museum

 

The mission grounds and side door to the chapel

 

Inside the chapel

 

More photos from the grounds…

 

 

For more Thursday Thirteen click here.

ht: Information from Mission Brochure

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Monday Walk in Whittier

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

I drove Southeast through Ventura County into Los Angeles County to the suburb of Whittier, east of Los Angeles to visit my sister Kathy. Whittier is home to Whittier College, Richard Nixon’s alma mater. He majored in History. We decided to combine a nice healthy walk up the hills and down in the older beautiful neighborhoods of Whittier so we could then have a guilt free nice lunch as a reward.  Kathy chose the Crepes and Grapes Cafe on Greenleaf Ave. in Uptown Whittier. I have a few photos of our time. The first photo is of the great Avocado tree that keeps me well stocked by Kathy when the avocados are in abundance. Then we walked along such wonderful canopied streets and we saw some beautiful blossoms. The last photo is of my yummy crepe. This was a build your own crepe for $6.95. I chose turkey, red onion, tomatoe, green pepper and a ginger lime sauce on the side. Kathy chose a white sauce, chicken, spinach, tomato, and Jack cheese. Duhlicious!

 

This is my sister Kathy with her grandson Jackson. She is my oldest sister, a wonderful friend and Godly woman. Thanks Kathy, that was fun…

Antique Valentine Postcards (1909 – 1915)

For Show & Tell this week I’d like to share these antique Valentine Day Post Cards that Dear’s Great, great Aunt Emma received from 1909 to 1915. They all have 1 cent stamps on them.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

For more Show and Tell visit There’s No Place Like Home.

Thursday Thirteen #18 ~ Oldest Operating McDonald’s

Welcome to my Thursday Thirteen. On January 15th I stopped by this McDonald’s to take some photos and gather at least 13 facts about the oldest-operating McDonald’s. I don’t have the facts numbered but I’m sure there are at least 13! Enjoy…

 

 

 

Roger Williams co-owner of the McDonald’s Restaurant at Lakewood and Florence Blvd., stands by the 64-foot neon sign that may be the only one left of its kind in the United States. William and Bud Landon opened the McDonald’s in 1953, and the business still remains under the original franchise agreement with the McDonald brothers.

 

The 1953 McDonald’s restaurant at 10207 Lakewood Blvd. (at Florence Ave.) is the oldest operating McDonald’s.

It was listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservations 1994 list of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

It was one of the first restaurants franchised by Dick and Mac McDonald, prior to the involvement of Ray Kroc in the company, and it still has the original “Golden arches” and a 60-foot animated neon “Speedee” sign.

 

 

For more Thursday Thirteen click here.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Swing Low Sweet Chariot ~ African-American Spiritual

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

(African-American Spiritual)

Refrain

Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan, and what did I see?
Coming for to carry me home,
A band of angels coming after me,
Coming for to carry me home.

Refrain

If you get there before I do,
Coming for to carry me home,
Tell all my friends I’m coming, too.
Coming for to carry me home.

Refrain

I’m sometimes up and sometimes down,
Coming for to carry me home,
But still my soul feels heavenly bound,
Coming for to carry me home.

Refrain

The brightest day that I can say,
Coming for to carry me home,
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Coming for to carry me home.

Refrain

Happy 29th Birthday Josh!

 Happy Birthday Josh! You are such a wonderful son to us and brother to Dan and Katie. We’re so thankful to God that He led you and Laura together. You make such a wonderful team. Here are some random photos celebrating you.
It would be great to all be together to celebrate!
We’ll remember other fun gatherings at La Corona
or fun times in Chicago,
or New York.

 

Your very 1st birthday with all your cousins and friends there to celebrate in Huntington Beach.

Easter 1980?

 

This was just after Daniel was born a month after your 2nd birthday.

Ventura with a couple of faces worth documenting.
I wish I had more birthday shots but all those photos are in Washington.
Your father and I couldn’t be more thankful to God for giving us a son like you. We pray that God would continue to bless you richly with his love, grace and mercy. We are looking forward to being together in the Spring.
Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Happy 27th Birthday Dan!

 

We thank God for you Dan! You are a delight to us. May God bless you with His mercy and grace all the days of your life. Sorry we aren’t with you this year to celebrate your day. Here are a few photos from some earlier years…

 

Your first Christmas just before you turned 1 with your big brother Josh at Gommy and PawPaw’s in Corona.

 

Your first birthday with all your cousins and friends, eating your birthday cake, in Huntington Beach.

 

Easter 1982 at Baba and Deda’s in La Mirada.

 

Ventura in 1985

 

Your 9th birthday in 1990 in Washington. The famous choo choo train cake. Jamie D., Gommy, Josh, Dad, Bridget, Dan , Katie, Jamie S. and Ryan.

We’re so thankful that the two of you brothers are such good friends. Two years apart, both born in January, both born on Friday. Praying that you always look out for each other and for your little sister!
Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.