Saturday, July 16, 2011

First Street Post Office - Oceanside, CA, USA

Located at the SW corner of First St. (Seagaze Dr.) and Freeman St.  This 1935 WPA. Project was dedicated in January 1936.  On the U.S.P.S. closure list several years ago, it remains an active post office serving the downtown area and was recently painted and re-landscaped.




Above the main entrance is a carved grille entitled "Eagle," completed in 1936 by artist Stuart Holmes.


An interior mural depicts an airplane flying above Mission San Luis Rey de Francia and the San Luis Rey valley as it once looked.  The 16' x 6' oil on canvas titled "Air Mail" was painted in 1937 by artist Elise Seeds (1902-1963).  It is signed, simply, "Elise."  In addition to being an artist, Elise (Cavanna) Seeds was an actress, comedienne and dancer.  (Her full name was Elise Cavanna Seeds Armitage Welton.)



Both pieces of art were commissioned under the Treasury Department Section of Fine Arts.

1 comment:

  1. If you look closely at the painting of the DC-3, you will see a rectangular silver patch painted over the first three windows of the plane. This was added in the early 80s and hides red lettering flanked by lightning bolts which read "Air Mail".

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