Editing Ventura County, California (section)

===Spanish period===
[[File:Mission San Buenaventura.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mission San Buenaventura]] is a Spanish mission founded in 1782 by the [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] order.]]
In October 1542, the expedition led by [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]] anchored in an inlet near [[Point Mugu, California|Point Mugu]]; its members were the first Europeans to arrive in the area that would become Ventura County.<ref>Arnold L. Murphy, ''A Comprehensive Story of Ventura County, California.'' Oxnard, CA: M & N, 1979; pp. 3–4.</ref>

Active occupation of California by Spain began in 1769. [[Gaspar de Portolà]] led a military expedition by land from [[San Diego]] to [[Monterey, California|Monterey]], passing through Ventura County in August of that year. A priest with the expedition, Father [[Juan Crespí]], kept a journal of the trip and noted that the area was ideal for a mission to be established and it was a "good site to which nothing is lacking".<ref>Murphy, ''A Comprehensive Story of Ventura County, California'', p. 6.</ref> Also on this expedition was Father [[Junípero Serra]], who later founded a mission on this site.

On March 31, 1782, the [[Mission San Buenaventura]] was founded by Father Serra.<ref>Murphy, ''A Comprehensive Story of Ventura County, California,'' p. 8.</ref> It is named after [[Saint Bonaventure]], one of the early intellectual founders of the [[Franciscan]] order. The town that grew up around the mission was originally named San Buenaventura (and retains the name officially), it has been known as Ventura since 1891.<ref>Erwin G. Gudde, ''California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names'', 4th ed., rev. and enlarged by William Bright (University of California Press, 1998), p. 410.</ref>

In the 1790s, the [[List of pre-statehood governors of California|Spanish Governor of California]] began granting land concessions to Spanish Californians who were often retiring soldiers. These concessions were known as [[Ranchos of California|ranchos]] and consisted of thousands of acres of land that were used primarily as ranch land for livestock. In Ventura County, [[Rancho Simi]] was granted in 1795 and [[Rancho El Conejo]] in 1802.<ref>Griggs, Gary B. and Kiki Patsch (2005). ''Living with the Changing California Coast''. University of California Press. Page 399. {{ISBN|9780520244474}}.</ref> Fernando Tico was granted Ojai and part of Ventura by Gov. Alvarado.