Father Junipero Serra statue in Ventura, California, was a commissioned work to replace a decaying 1936 statue created by John Palo-Kangas.  The newer statue, a bronze copy of the original, was dedicated on October 20, 1989. Master carver Wilbur Rubottom created the piece in honor of Junipero Serra, who lived from 1713-1784.  Mission San Buenaventura, built in 1782, was Serra's last of nine he founded in California.

The large number of Catholics and Hispanics who attend the mission church down the street from the courthouse where this statue stands stately and tall, also can see another, smaller piece, a full life-size bust of Junipero Serra, in front of the Mission.  Ventura retains much of its Spanish heritage with signs around the city that refer to the city as "San Buenaventura" or city of good fortune in Spanish.

Ventura is a charming city nestled along a set of mountains leading to the Pacific Ocean.  Beautiful especially in the spring when the hills are covered in green, you can visit the historic courthouse, mission, and several museums and an adobe house, the Olivas adobe.

The statue, courthouse, downtown shopping, beach and other attractions are all located near the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel shown in the map above.