Near this site, the village of Shisholop, home to 300 to 400 Chumash, once stretched from the beach near the base of Figueroa Street inland past the San Buenaventura Mission. From its beginning, about 1000 AD., Shisholop, meaning "in the mud," grew into a regional center of trade, politics and religion. The village flourished through the time of the first European contact in 1542 to the founding of the San Buenaventura Mission in 1782. Located near the Ventura River and ocean, it was surrounded by abundant resources for food and shelter. Chumash homes were dome-shaped and made of pliable willow poles covered with layers of sedge thatching. Swift plank canoes called tomols enabled the Chumash to use rich marine and island resources. Unique among North American Indians and considered advanced in design, the tomol was built from driftwood boards sewn together with fiber cord, with seams caulked with tar and covered with a mixture of red ochre and pine pitch. The Chumash were also skilled in making coiled baskets that served many functions, including water storage and cooking containers, and their basketry is admired worldwide for its beauty and intricate design.