Ventura in Ventura County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
The First Community
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, March 4, 2019
1. The First Community Marker
Inscription.
The First Community. . Near this site, the village of Shisholop, home to 300 to 400 Chumash, once stretched from the beach near the base of Figueroa Street inland past the San Buenaventura Mission. From its beginning, about 1000 AD., Shisholop (meaning "in the mud") grew into a regional center of trade, politics and religion. The village flourished through the time of the first European contact in 1542, to the time of the founding of the San Buenaventura Mission in 1782.
Located near the Ventura River and ocean, the village was surrounded by abundant resources for food and shelter. The Chumash homes were dome-shaped and made of pliable willow poles covered with layers of sedge thatching. Swift plank canoes known as tomols enabled the Chumash to utilize the rich marine and island resources. The tomol, unique among North American Indians and considered advanced in design, was constructed from boards made from driftwood, sewn together with fiber cord, the seams caulked with tar, and covered with a mixture of red ochre and pine pitch. The Chumash were also skilled in making coiled baskets which served many functions, including water storage, and even cooking containers. The Chumash are admired world-wide for the beauty and intricate design of their basketry.
Near this site, the village of Shisholop,
home to 300 to 400 Chumash, once
stretched from the beach near the base of
Figueroa Street inland past the San
Buenaventura Mission. From its beginning,
about 1000 AD., Shisholop (meaning "in
the mud") grew into a regional center of
trade, politics and religion. The village
flourished through the time of the first
European contact in 1542, to the time of
the founding of the San Buenaventura
Mission in 1782.
Located near the Ventura River and
ocean, the village was surrounded by
abundant resources for food and shelter.
The Chumash homes were dome-shaped
and made of pliable willow poles covered
with layers of sedge thatching. Swift plank
canoes known as tomols enabled the
Chumash to utilize the rich marine and
island resources. The tomol, unique
among
North
American
Indians and considered advanced
in design, was constructed from
boards made from driftwood, sewn
together with fiber cord, the seams
caulked with tar, and covered with a
mixture of red ochre and pine pitch.
The Chumash were also skilled in
making coiled baskets which served
many functions, including water
storage, and even cooking
containers. The Chumash are
admired world-wide for the beauty
and intricate design of their
basketry.
Location. 34° 16.56′ N, 119° 17.586′ W. Marker is in Ventura, California, in Ventura County. Marker is at the intersection of Ventura Promenade and South California Street, on the left when traveling west on Ventura Promenade. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ventura CA 93001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photo courtesy of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
3. Inset photo: Chumash Coiled Baskets
Credits. This page was last revised on November 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 306 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on June 12, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2, 3. submitted on June 13, 2019, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
