Ventura County Landmark No. 66: Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church

This modest wood-frame structure was originally constructed in 1902 for a Presbyterian congregation, on land donated by Thomas Bard. It was intended to provide a separate place of worship for the Presbyterian congregation, distinct from the Methodist‑led community Protestant church that held services in one of the colony houses. Although residents wished to support two separate churches, the community could not afford two full‑time ministers, and worshippers often attended whichever church had a preacher available. By 1908, the Presbyterians stopped using the building and returned to worship in the colony house (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d).

In 1910, the original Presbyterian church, no longer used by its founding congregation, began hosting Catholic Masses. Diary entries from Juan E. Camarillo, a prominent early resident of Simi Valley, describe crowded Catholic services held inside the original Presbyterian church, illustrating the building’s early importance to the Catholic community (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d.).

“Roberto and I left very early for Simi in the buggy. The Mass was said in the old Presbyterian Church and it was just crowded to the door. I acted as usher, and Roberto served for Father Laubacher. The choir did themselves proud today…”
— Juan E. Camarillo, June 19, 1910 (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d.)

In 1913, the original Presbyterian church building was officially dedicated as a mission church of Santa Clara Catholic Church in Oxnard (which oversaw Catholic ministry there while the building remained in Simi Valley) (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d).

In 1921, the original church building was elevated again when it became the parish church known as Saint Rose of Lima. The Ferrer family donated a bell, which was added several years later (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d).

During the 1940s, the former Presbyterian church building was expanded from 60 seats to 160. It remained Simi Valley’s only Catholic church until a new Saint Rose of Lima Church was constructed on Royal Avenue in 1965. By 1964, just before the new 900‑seat sanctuary opened, worshippers were spilling onto the sidewalks during services (Strathearn Historical Park and Museum, n.d.).