The Southwest Border Area

This section of the Southwest Border Area and Camarillo actually have a lot in common. The area in the book is influenced by American Indians, Spanish Americans, and European Americans. Camarillo is very similar because these are the three cultures that have played the largest roles in the shaping of the community. The American Indians that were in Ventura County and modern day Camarillo were a large part of how the area was settled. They were basically taken over by the Spanish who built a mission in Ventura where they made the local Indians work in some terrible conditions. After the Spanish had settled they were very much influenced by European settlers that made their way over from the East Coast. Today the area is a melting pot for almost every race of people you can imagine. Camarillo is actually located in this area which is one of the reasons it is so closely linked. One of the ways in which you can see the influence of the different cultures is by the food. Camarillo is home to some of the best ethnic restaurants in the area. You can also see the influence of the Spanish because many of the street names in Camarillo are in Spanish. There is much cultural diversity when looking at the population of Camarillo. There is also a very large influence of Latinos because many work in the area. Another aspect that is seen in both the book and Camarillo is that there is a difference in socioeconomic aspects between the races. There are many wealthy parts of the city that are dominated usually by whites. The poorer communities in the city are the ones where Hispanics tend to be located more.

Above is a picture of the San Buena Ventura Mission. The Spanish built the missions but they forced the local Indians to do the work here. You can still see the influence of the Spanish and the Native Indians in the area through architecture and the place names.  http://www.pixelmap.com/sl_ventura_87.html