Ventura City Map Poster

About Ventura

The expansion of the military installation, March Air Reserve Base, in the 1950s took away some of that land. The economic boom ended abruptly in 1958 with the loss of most base personnel and missions due to defense cutbacks. The rapid growth of nearby Los Angeles made Ventura a bedroom community for its larger neighbor but also created jobs as businesses relocated to areas closer to their employees; this is reflected by a 25 percent population increase between 1970 and 1980. The city has experienced waves of migration since the 1940s including notable Asian immigration after World War II (including former Uyghur detainees from Guantanamo Bay), an influx from neighboring Central Valley communities such as Oxnard during drought-stricken years starting in 2000, and growing numbers from Mexico seeking work through programs like Braceros or NAFTA's Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP).