Penny Postcard of the Rose Hotel, San Buenaventura circa 1886

Penny postcards were introduced in the United States in 1873, by Post Master John Creswell. This postcard of the newly-constructed Rose Hotel in San Buenaventura (Ventura) was built by L.J. Rose. L.J. Rose, a wealthy business man from Pasadena, CA had formulated plans to construct gas works, a street railway, and waterworks for Ventura. Rose had also purchased the Ventura Avenue Flouring Mills. The Rose Hotel would later be named, "The De Leon."