Ken gave a very fun and well-done version of his history of Ventura.
History Facts....or Hysterical Facts! You choose!!
History included the Chumash Indians that lived between both Santa Barbara and Ventura Missions.
Point Magu and Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo - the Land of Everlasting Summer!! ..a long lost brother of Guy! We saw the picture that proved it. The point was a missile test center, a center of excellence from '71-'85 but then downsized.
San Nicolas Island - 60 miles from Ventura was a potential site for testing of the hydrogen bomb!
1782 The Misson of San Buenaventura was founded. This was the 9th Mission in California. Santa Barbara was the 10th Mission.
Olivas Park - and the water! Rancho San Miguel was 4700 acres, and this is where Ventura sits now. The St. Francis Dam broke and flooded land downstream in 1969. Ken owned the food facilities on a 36 hole Golf Course that was flooded and covered in mud.
But then he opened Kenny's and did very well.
In 1957 there were 13 Trees, but all were chopped down but two of them. Members of our club were the ones that did the dirty deed!! We saw the photos that proved it!
Ventura is the Poinsettia City. The plant was introduced in 1825. Someone has been stealing them from the center of town every year...and it turned out to be our own Donna Eyman! That was where she was getting our Poinsettias!
In WWII there was an attack on Santa Barbara by a Japanese Sub manned by Kozo Nishino. They lobbed 5 shells onto the beach of Goleta.
Community Development - we reviewed a few housing developments of Ken including one on the former site of the Brander Night Club - the honky-tonk joint everyone went to. There are now 15 houses on that site. And Loops Restaurant's were developed up and down the coast. There were 13 locations at one time.
