Living History Day

The 2025 Living History Event will not be held in this year; this is due to conflicts with the Museum building expansion schedules.  The 2023 Living History Day was April 29th and was a great time for the whole family.  The 2023’s Event Announcement is shown below:

The date, time and location for Living History Day is April 29th, 2023, Noon – 4PM, at the Camarillo Community Center (1605 Burnley St, Camarillo, CA 93010 / Click/Tap HERE for Google Map).  (The previous Living History Day location, at the PVHS Museum and Botanical Garden, is not accessible to the public during numerous phases of the Expansion Project).

The 2023 Event is a fun time for the whole family!  This event is open to the public without charge.

We have a variety of activities scheduled for the children of the community.  It is a great opportunity to learn about the life experiences of our forefathers.  Among the activities planned are:

> Ventura County Handweavers and Spinners Guild Members will give:

  • Spinning demonstrations
  • Weaving demonstrations
  • The History of Spinning and Weaving in the Pleasant Valley and Ventura County areas

> Wood Working Skills // Button String Toy

> Old-time Music:

  • Prinsen Book Organ (The music, rather than winding on a roller, folds like pages in a book.  Photo is shown below)
  • Schoolhouse Victor phonograph with a large horn

> School! Blackboard, Chalk and Desks.

> Recess! Books, Toys, Games and Raggedy Andy (Our Mascot.  Photo is shown below)

> Early Transportation with Models and Toys:  Cars, Trains, Airplane, Tractor

> Early Communication:  Telephones, Manual Typewriter, Adding Machine, Morse Code

> Garden/Milkweed:  Bees and Butterflies

> PVHS Museum:  Information about the Museum and Expansion

> Oral History:

  • Learn about Meliton Ortiz’s Life in Camarillo
  • Help PVHS with research by signing up to tell us your favorite memories of Life in Camarillo

> What is this? Guessing game with Household Tools, and other items, that were once common

> Historical Photos and Maps of early Camarillo and Springville;  Farming Families

> First Aid supplies available

Admission is free.  It is a good time for all.   If you have a suggestion and/or would like to help volunteer in any of our activities please call Joy Todd (805-482-0179) or Beth Miller (805-630-6803).

Above: Leif Engeswick, longtime collector and restorer, will play the Prinsen book organ

Below:  Raggedy Andy (our mascot)

Raggedy Andy (our mascot)