Exterior view of Mission San Buenaventura, from the hills behind the mission, Ventura, California, ca.1873

Photograph of the exterior view of Mission San Buenaventura, from the hills behind the mission, Ventura, California, ca.1873. The quadrangle is visible (at left). "Part of Ayers Hotel can be seen beyond the roof of a building attached to the mission on the right (center), and the saloon owned by Obiols is next to the Ayers Hotel." Two palm trees are in the mission garden (at right).; "Originally planned to be the third mission in the California chain, halfway between San Diego and Carmel, San Buenaventura's founding was postponed for 12 years. Problems at other missions prohibited the availability of the military escorts needed to establish Mission San Buenaventura. Finally, on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1782, Father Serra raised a cross and celebrated Mass to found his ninth and final mission on the beach of the Santa Barbara Channel. One of the main reasons for the prosperity of this mission was the extensive irrigation provided by a seven-mile-long aqueduct that brought water to the mission from the Ventura River. This allowed the production of many types of fruit, grains and vegetables. Due to the outstanding climate they were even able to grow exotic crops usually found only in torrid zones, such as sugar cane, bananas, coconuts and figs. After the first mission church burned down a new large stone church was begun. Fifteen years later, in 1809, it was dedicated. Three years later the earthquake of 1812 severely damaged the church but it was quickly reinforced. After secularization, in 1836, most of the mission lands were sold to private settlers. The mission church became a parish church for the surrounding town. Fortunately, the 'modern improvements' made to the church in the 1890's were undone in 1957 when the church was restored to its original state." -- unknown author.

这张拍摄于约1873年的照片，展现了加利福尼亚州文图拉市布埃纳文图拉传教团（Mission San Buenaventura）后方山坡上的外景。画面左侧可见其矩形庭院。右侧中部一栋依附于该传教团的建筑屋顶后方，可窥见埃尔斯酒店的一部分，奥比亚尔斯经营的酒吧紧邻该酒店。传教团花园的右侧区域生长着两棵棕榈树。
布埃纳文图拉传教团原本计划成为加州传教团序列中的第三座，选址于圣迭戈与卡梅尔之间的中点位置，但建立进程被推迟了12年。彼时其他传教团面临的各类问题导致无法抽调所需的军事护卫队，以协助建立布埃纳文图拉传教团。最终在1782年3月31日复活节周日，塞拉神父竖立起十字架并主持弥撒，完成了他的第九座也是最后一座传教团的奠基仪式，选址于圣巴巴拉海峡沿岸的海滩之上。
该传教团得以繁荣发展的核心原因之一，是一条长达7英里的引水渠所搭建的大规模灌溉系统——该水渠从文图拉河取水输送至传教团。这使得当地能够种植多种水果、谷物与蔬菜。凭借得天独厚的气候条件，他们甚至可以种植通常仅能在热带区域生长的外来作物，例如甘蔗、香蕉、椰子与无花果。
首座传教教堂被毁后，一座大型石制新教堂随即动工。15年后的1809年，该教堂正式举行祝圣仪式。三年后的1812年地震严重损毁了这座教堂，但团队迅速完成了加固工作。1836年世俗化运动之后，传教团的大部分土地被出售给私人定居者，传教教堂则转为周边城镇的教区教堂。幸运的是，19世纪90年代对教堂进行的“现代化改造”在1957年被彻底撤销，教堂被复原至最初的风貌。
——佚名作者