Santa Fe Depot - Hemet, CA, USA

This depot, built by the Santa Fe Railroad, once served a Santa Fe spur line that ran from San Bernardino through Perris, then on through Hemet, ending in San Jacinto.  It handled both passengers and freight.  The two-story section was the passenger depot and its construction was completed in 1914, replacing two earlier depots.  The long adjoining section was the freight depot. It was part of the second depot, built in 1898, and was moved to this location.  It is one of the oldest structures in Hemet's downtown area.   Restored by a local group, Save Our Station, the freight depot is now the home of the Hemet Museum.  A coffee and bagel shop occupies the end of the building nearest Florida Avenue.

Located at the intersection of Florida Avenue and State Street.  Entrance and parking lot along State Street.

Harold E. Smerdu Community Garden - Carlsbad, CA, USA

One of several community gardens located within Carlsbad.  Formerly known as Carlsbad Community Garden it was renamed in November 2006 to honor the late Harold E. Smerdu, a retired local gladioli grower and avid gardener.  After his retirement Mr. Smerdu maintained several plots at the community garden where he gardened full-time, five-and-a-half days a week.  He helped other gardeners with their plots and shared his harvest with the community.

The garden consists of 52 plots, 20' by 30', with an annual use fee of  $90/year.  Priority is given to Carlsbad residents and there is a lengthy waiting list.  The property is owned by the City of Carlsbad who provides water for irrigation. 

Located at 1250 Laguna Drive, just north of the Georgina Cole Library.

Canine Companions for Independence - Oceanside, CA, USA

Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) was founded in 1975 and has grown to become the largest non-profit assistance dog organization in the world.  In the mid-1980s a training center serving the southwest United States was built in Oceanside.  The Southwest Regional Training Center opened in 1987 and serves the states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Hawaii, as well as Southern Nevada and Southern California.  In July 2001 a grand opening was held dedicating the facility as the Dean and Gerda Koontz Campus Southwest Regional Training Center.  In 2007 it was rededicated as the Dean, Gerda and Trixie Koontz Campus.

Located at 124 Rancho Del Oro Drive between Mission Avenue and the CA-76 Expressway.

Crest Theater - Oceanside, CA, USA

In 1950 Erwin Sklar purchased property in downtown Oceanside and began construction of this Steamline Moderne theater.  When the Crest Theater opened around March of 1951 it was one of the largest single-screen movie theaters in San Diego County.  It screened family-friendly films for several decades.  Eventually it was taken over by Pussycat Theatres and continued to operate as a movie theater until the late 1980s.  It is presently home to a church, Grace Chapel of the Coast.  The movie screen remains and films are occaisionally shown there.  The sign that now has the letters G R A C E originally held the letters C R E S T.  The pillar and planter below was originally the location of the ticket booth.

Located at 102 - 108 North Freeman Street on the northeast corner of Freeman Street and Seagaze Drive (formerly First Street).

Utility Box Art - Oceanside, CA, USA

In 2008 the Oceanside Arts Commission facilitated the painting of 20 gray utility boxes located at the Oceanside Harbor by volunteer artists.   The project took two years to complete.  The artwork on this large utility box depicts scenes in Oceanside including Mission San Luis Rey, the harbor lightouse and US Highway 101.

Located on Harbor Drive North at the entrance to the Oceanside Marina Suites parking lot.

First United Methodist Church - Escondido, CA, USA

Incorporated in November 1886 as the Methodist Episcopal Church of Escondido, this is Escondido's oldest Protestant church.  Their first permanent building was dedicated in August 1887 at Grand Avenue and Ivy Street.  By 1924 the congregation had outgrown the building and a new structure was built at the corner of Kalmia Street and Fourth Avenue (formerly Illinois Avenue).  A Greek-style cement block building, it was dedicated in December 1921.  In 1939 the First Methodist Episcopal Church became the First Methodist Church.  To accommodate the growing congregation that building was demolished in 1964 and the present structure was built on the same site in 1965.  In 1968, through more mergers, the First Methodist Church became the First United Methodist Church.

The front of the building, facing Fourth Avenue, features an enormous stained-glass facade.



Located at 341 South Kalmia Street at the intersection of Fourth Avenue.

Wind Dancer - Vista, CA, USA

Wind Dancer, a sculpture by Robert Rochin, is a part of the fourth exhibit of Vista's public art display, Kites Over Vista.  It is on display in downtown Vista from 2011 to 2012.

Located on Main Street just east of the intersection of South Indiana Avenue.

Veterans Memorial - Oceanside, CA, USA

Honor              Freedom
This Memorial Dedicated 1952
By Citizens of Oceanside
To Honor Those Valiant Men And Women
Who Offered Themselves In Service And
Sacrifice That The Ideals Of American
Democracy Might Live
In Memoriam
Sponsored By American Legion Post 146

Located in the plaza between the 300 block of North Nevada and North Ditmar Streets at the base of the flagpole, behind the Oceanside Museum of Art.