Written by Eric Gillett and Cynthia Thompson


The early years of settlement in the 1800’s revealed a handful of pioneers who helped shape Ventura.  They were hardworking men and women who wanted to be part of something bigger, to live out their American dreams, and to make this town a place where they could prosper and raise a family.  Eugene Preston Foster and Orpha Foster were two of these extraordinary people.

At the age of four, E. P. Foster and his family came west by covered wagon in 1852.  Two decades later he met a lady named Orpha Woods, who married him and bore ten of his children.  In 1879 they purchased a parcel of land and built a magnificent home, which still stands on Ventura Avenue in West Ventura.  Embracing many philanthropic pursuits within the community, mostly centering on education, forestry and agriculture, and women’s studies and activism, they were a part of the founding core of pioneers that  helped shape the City of
San Buenaventura into the quaint town it is today.


Around the turn of the century the Fosters sponsored numerous projects.  They generously financed and built the local Ventura Library, City Hall, and Community Hospital.  Mr. Foster was the first chairman of the State Forestry Commission, and also personally financed and established the initial Ventura County parks, including Seaside Park.  Mrs. Foster was a teacher, and part of many organizations throughout the county.  She was president of the Ventura County Federation of Women’s Clubs, board member for the Ventura School for Girls, manager for the California Training School for Girls, and vice president for the Big Sisters League Hospital, which later became the Foster Memorial Hospital. 

The once great Foster House on Ventura Avenue was a symbol of their family and their strength.  Today, unfortunately, the house has been sitting for several decades without maintenance or upkeep, suffering from severe deterioration and neglect.  The San Buenaventura Conservancy (www.sbconservancy.org) an organization formed “to tell the story of those who came before us through the built environment they left behind,” has brought to the forefront a renewed interest in opening up a dialogue with the owners of the property and the community to discuss restoring the house to its working condition as it was in the 1920’s.  This would allow the house to be available to the Ventura community as a historical and cultural center, gathering site, and an educational foundation for both children and adults.  There are several comparable examples of restorations, such as the Dudley House, the Camarillo Ranch, and Oxnard Heritage Square.

          

The 7-acre parcel property purchased by Mr. Foster is located at 2717 North Ventura Avenue, north of Stanley Avenue.  A mere $226 was paid for the plot of land.  The main house was designed and built in 1881 in the Folk Victorian farmhouse style, and we can still see today the intricate exterior wood shingles, trim, and ornate multi-paned style windows and doors that construction of this era was known for.  In the subsequent remodeling of late 1930s, an addition was put on the front facade, now focusing the design on the more modern Federal Colonial Revival style.  There are a total of three buildings on the property:  the main dwelling, a carriage house, and an outbuilding.  The house that remains today is one of the many icons we see in Ventura of the Fosters’ heritage, a tribute to their extraordinary lives.

            

Living in 1872 was quite different than the lifestyle we accept as normal today.  It was before automobiles drove the streets, when houses were lit with candles and lamps, and there were no computers, Internet, or telephones.  The City of San Buenaventura was bareback then, with travelers going by horse and buggy, and roads were made of dirt.  Fewer houses lined our streets, each with large plots of land compared to today’s modern standards.  We made our way west across the country in covered wagons to settle in the uncharted city by the sea.  After this trying journey, many found their way to the Fosters’ home.  New pioneers and settlers were welcomed in and given a hot meal.  The Fosters were a hardworking family that helped nurture our city in its infant stages, and we still see their legacy living on today.

In the 1930’s E. P. and Orpha Foster passed away.  Their house and land were later donated to the Ventura Unified School District as a gift to help expand the Avenue School located on the adjoining property.  The original school itself was also a Foster donation to the School District.  Shortly after receiving the house as a gift, the Avenue School was forced to close due to low enrollment; therefore, the expansion of the school into the adjacent Foster House property never took place.  Initially, the School District wanted to hold the land at the Foster House available for the expansion of the school once there were enough students to reopen.  They now feel that the school’s cost of retrofitting, replumbing, asbestos abatement, etc., would be too costly.  There has been talk of possible sale of the parcel of land that the school and house occupy to developers. 

As far back as 1986 the (then) Ventura Historic Preservation Commission attempted to designate both the Foster House and Avenue School as Ventura City landmarks for their protection. The School District declined, stating the need for development. Now, Ventura’s grass-roots preservation organization, the San Buenaventura Conservancy, has officially adopted the Foster House and Avenue School as a priority project and are discussing the option of conservation and restoration of the property as a Historical/Cultural Center in memory of the Fosters and their contributions. The Conservancy is seeking ways to partner with the Westside community and the School District in order to achieve the highest best use while maintaining the structures which are legally designated historic resources.  The Foster House was recently evaluated by a historic preservation professional to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with the accomplishments and contributions to the City of Ventura and Ventura County. The Ventura Unified School District has mentioned that there are currently no plans for the property, and so it continues to sit boarded up and in disrepair.

Our hope is to discuss with the School District and the community this option of restoring the Foster House and gardens to their original glory as they were in the 1920’s.  As a building of historical significance, there is government funding available to offset a good portion of the costs involved in the restoration process.  Many positive ideas have been put on the table as possible uses that could benefit the Westside community, such as having the home available as a meeting place for student clubs, local organizations and businesses, and for holding art shows, seminars, banquets, and community education classes.  In addition, with the gardens reborn, there would be the opportunity for outdoor summer weddings and acoustical concerts.

There is also the possibility that the School District could be encouraged to sell the property (which would include the Foster House, Avenue School and the large amount of land between the two structures) to either the City or a qualified developer.  A qualified developer could take advantage of historic preservation financial incentives for restoration and incorporate new construction on the land between the structures for any number of mixed uses that would serve the Westside Community and the City’s needs.

There are some that say a project like restoring the Foster House would not have a direct impact on them personally, or that the effort or investment put in could be greater than the return.  These are valid issues that really need to be addressed.  Several inclusive conversations would need to be held as to the advantages that both the owners of the property and the community could receive from taking on a cause like this.  The School District is definitely not in the business of historical preservation, and a look into whether this could be seen as an educational project benefiting the youths and adults of Westside, and Ventura as a whole, is important.  A proposal would need to be considered that discusses fundraising, government grants, income from private events, corporate sponsorships, etc., that would offset the cost of restoration.

What if there were educational classes put on by local executives?  A summer outdoor theater for children?  A beautiful area for floral gardens?  Catered weddings and events?  And more importantly, tours available for students to learn more about the Foster family and the daily life of Venturans of years past.  So many possibilities are there.  Ventura has an abundance of rich history that is filled with heroes and role models.  Whichever way this turns out, the Fosters are a tremendous part of our heritage, and we are all fortunate to have been the benefactors of their efforts and courage. 

A 1921 newspaper article written in celebration of the opening day of the Foster Library said, “While we recognize the great reality of that building as a center for the diffusion of knowledge, let us honor it more as a silent symbol of the altruistic spirit which is to transform industry and regenerate society.”  We see this restoration and revitalization as a project that Mr. Foster himself would have embraced.