Venture Retreat's Colorful History

A Personal Growth Community Called "Venture"

The property that is today known as Venture Retreat was originally purchased in the early 1960's by a group of pioneering individuals who were part of what one day would be called the "human potential movement." People from the Stanford/Palo Alto alternative community were already running workshops, retreats and training sessions about "becoming who you are.” As their activities increased, it became evident that they needed their own facility. A core group organized San Francisco Venture Inc. as a 501 (c) (3) in 1964, and soon after purchased a modest building in Haight Ashbury and 50 acres of meadow and forest on the Butano Creek in San Mateo County. Within a short period, a portion of the rural land was sold to pay off the existing mortgage and San Francisco Venture Retreat Center was born. It included the “Venture lodge” which was the original Rancho Butano foreman’s home (See Wikipedia Rancho Butano info).

Venture was formed to support extended personal growth retreats at an affordable price and in a setting that brought people closer to Nature. At the time, Venture had a close association with the Esalen Institute in Big Sur. Willis Harmon, one of Venture’s founders later served on the Esalen Board of Directors. Venture became the regular weekend retreat facility for ongoing workshops and trainings offered in the Palo Alto and San Francisco areas by practitioners of many new disciplines: Gestalt Practice, Sensory Awareness, Body Work and Encounter Groups. Throughout the 1960’s, 70’s and early 80’s, thousands of people came to Venture to explore themselves, their relationship with others and their place in the world in new and varied ways. Venture made a seminal contribution in the exploration of peer-led groups, helping to establish a greater sense of equality, irrespective of title and profession.

The Venture community believed that if people learned about themselves and gained skills in communicating more honestly and effectively with each other, it could help society at large. In the late 80ʼs and 90ʼs things changed in the United States, what had been experimental became part of mainstream psychology, healthcare and education. However, the need for people to get away from the pressures and fast pace of their lives, as well as, for increased intimacy, expanded personal awareness and understanding of human nature remains relevant to this day.

Venture is one of a small number of retreats that offer complete privacy and exclusive use of the whole facility to make your time together something of your own creation. We host family reunions, weddings and get-togethers for friends. A wide variety of groups find Venture to be an excellent site, including social clubs, schools, psychology groups, environmental organizations, church groups and boards of directors.

Today, Venture Retreat is an active participant in a variety of networks dedicated to spiritual, ecological and community related issues. Venture is always interested in facilitating community building by supporting the gathering of small groups to explore specific interests or topics.