Olivias Adobe Southern Califnornia
ON THE ROAD WITH BEST DELIVERY
Dateline: Jan 11, 2012 Yesterday our driver was assigned a delivery for a state agency that has a once a month deliveries to all of the city halls in California. Did you know that we provide overnight delivery all over southern California? When he was in the city of Ventura he noticed the Olivas Adobe. This was designated state historical park #115 in 1974. It is an adobe built in 1841 by Raymundo Olivas. The adobe is fully furnished with period furnishings including sewing room and parlor. One odd aspect of the home is that all rooms is that there no interior hallways to enter or exit any room one use the positioned along the exterior wall of each room. In 1849 he added a second story to make it the only 2 story building in the area. Outside there is a pit for the creation of adobe, herb garden, and a visitors center that has a video presentation and artifacts.
Olivas received, this Land Grant in recognition of his service at the Presidio of Santa Barbara It is approximately 2,250 acres from Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado in1841, which he named Rancho San Miguel. The land had originally been part of the Mission San Buenaventura.
He and wife Dona Theodora and their 21 children lived here until 1899. This period was known for lavish fiestas lasting many days and the hospitality shown to travelers.
It later became part of the Fleishman’s’ holdings (of yeast and margarine fame), and it was he who donated the land and the house to the City of Ventura. This is also an amazing horticultural site that has wonders such as, the oldest living fuchsia plants in the world (1898), an historical herb garden, a rose garden maintained by the Master Gardeners group, and numerous flowering specimens that were planted in the 1920′s.
On a sad note, Dona Teodora was brutally murdered by a band a marauding thieves. Her spirit is said to wander about the balcony, gardens, living room and kitchen. Especially the kitchen! One guest taking a “ghost tour” was walking from the kitchen through a small pantry to the outside and reported “It was almost like an icy hand was holding you back from exiting. Very scary! For one brief moment I thought I wasn’t going to be able to get out of that room” You can go on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxaRs0S-Wp4 to see more.
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