VENTURA (officially San Buenaventura), a city of southern California, U.S.A., on the Pacific ocean, 2 m. from the mouth of the Santa Clara river; the county seat of Ventura county. It is served by the Southern Pacific railway and by freight steamers. Pop. (1920) 1930 Federal census 11,603. It is a trading
centre and shipping point for a rich agricultural region and for the neighbouring oilfields, and is the seat of the State school for girls The city, founded in 1782, was incorporated in 1866.