Balboa Middle School

by Mindy
(Ventura)

For years, there have been rumors at Balboa that the school used to be a women's prison. Is this true? If not, when was the school built, and did the property serve any other purpose before it was a school?

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Balboa Middle School

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Aug 02, 2011
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Prison
by: Vance

went there back in 1977 & 78, don't Know if thats true but it sure looked like one.

Aug 07, 2011
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Kewpie
by: Anonymous

Balboa Middle School was Ventura Jr High School when I went there 1941-1945. It was a wonderful school with a good sized auditorium where I took band and orchestra classes. It was during World War II and each class had their various places to hurriedly climb to on the hillside when we heard the air raid siren warnings. Thank God we never had a real one, but we were prepared. Years later the building burned down when the caretaker left an electric coffee pot plugged in when he left for Christmas Vacation. My cousin salvaged brick from the building (they paid for them) to build their home in Oak View. Two of my grandchildren attended Balboa Middle School.

Sep 02, 2011
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Balboa Middle School
by: Stan

The only Balboa Jr High (middle school) i know of is the one on Hill RD. I was part of the First graduating class of the school 1963. It opened in the 62-63 school year. If there was another Balboa in Ventura i would like to know wher it was

Oct 26, 2011
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Balboa vs. Cabrillo
by: Anonymous

Balboa was built in the late 50's early 60's. Nothing but orchards before the school. The one commenter must be thinking of Cabrillo which is the oldest junior high campus in VTA and at one time was the HS campus.

Dec 15, 2011
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Balboa Jr. High, origins
by: Jana

I also went to Balboa Jr. High in the early 80's (when it was 7th, 8th, & 9th grades)and agree with the last commentor about it's originating date: 50's/60's - it was designed by a Mr. Chan (a father of one of my classmates all through grammar/jr./high school) and it was built in a different engineering fashion or something, I can't recall the exact nature, but maybe fire/earthquake? proof, something like that - which is why it is realtively ugly/industrial looking.

Feb 16, 2012
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Metal Factory
by: Carol W

There was never anything other than an orchard there prior to the 1960s - I moved to Ventura in 1957 and to my knowledge Balboa was built in the early 60s - I graduated from there in the 60s - it was 7th, 8th and 9th grade at that time and Buena was 10th, 11th. and 12th. Prior to that I went to Poinsettia Elementary School. We used to call it the metal factory - but I believe it was built like that because of safety during an earthquake. It was a great school and we moved into the area knowing that Balboa and Buena were going to be built so we could walk to school when the time came. There was nothing else there besides the orchard. The person who said they went there in the 40-50 era is mistaken at least not this school anyway.

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