The Serra Cross is a one-acre tract inside Grant Park that overlooks downtown Ventura, the Santa Barbara Channel, and the Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. It is also known as the Cross on the Hill or the Grant Park Cross because it features a Christian cross on top of the hill "La Loma de la Cruz.” According to some reports, the first cross was erected at the location in 1782, when Mission San Buenaventura was founded. The cross has been replaced multiple times, notably in the early 1860s under Father John Campala's supervision, in 1912 by the E. C. O. Club, and in 1941 by the Alice M. Bartlett Club (successor to the E. C. O. Club). The location was named California Historical Landmark No. 113 in 1933 and the City of Ventura Historical Landmark No. 5 in 1974.
Source: https://www.serracrosspark.com/
The property on which the cross was placed was not a city park. There have been numerous renovations to the property surrounding the cross throughout the years. In the 1920s, the first roads leading to the cross were constructed. As part of the festivities for the 150th-anniversary mass on the site on March 31, 1932, a circular stone pedestal and a concrete path leading up to the pedestal was constructed. The majority of this is still in place with minor modifications. In 1941, the city replaced the cross from 1912 with the current one.
The threat of litigation over the city's use of public funds to maintain a religious symbol on city-owned land in 2003 resulted in a settlement whereby the city agreed to dim the lighting of the cross and sold a one-acre site beneath the cross to a private, non-profit organization that is now known as the Serra Cross Conservancy.
The Serra Cross Conservancy encourages everyone to enjoy the park and welcomes a variety of activities, including family picnics, educational field trips, weddings, and funerals. With its unique character and breathtaking vistas, this location is much sought after for private occasions.
Serra Cross
298 Ferro Dr, Ventura, Ca 93001
Phone: 805-223-5505
Get on US-101 S from Brakey Rd and N Chestnut St
6 min (1.5 mi)
Follow US-101 S and CA-126 E to S Victoria Ave. Take exit 1 from CA-126 E
5 min (4.8 mi)
Follow S Victoria Ave and Telephone Rd
Drive to your destination - Rohan S. Toor, DDS 3 min (0.9 mi)v