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This is a case where we're more interested in the back of a souvenir penny postcard than the front. It shows the Santa Barbara Mission (see below), but it is postmarked at Piru, August 24, 1915. The addressee is Charles Eklund of Tacoma, Wash., a Swedish immigrant born in 1866. The sender might be his son, Clarence A. Elkund, who was about 26 years old in 1915. The inscription reads:
How's Dad? Still hard at it right along(?) / Same here. Think I shall get you all down here next summer. Somebody here would like to talk over old times with you. That would be great, wouldn't it? /s/
The Piru Post Office traces its roots to 1888. On April 23 of that year, the "Piru Rancho" post office was commissioned, but it never operated under that name. Two months later, on June 14, "Piru Rancho" gave way to "Piru City." During its first full year (1889), its operator was paid $243.08 for his services. The salary increased annually, reaching $698.78 in 1901. The Piru City post office was discontinued June 5, 1903, when its commission was transferred to a new "Piru" post office. From first-year pay of $571.77, the salary fluctuated until 1911, when it hit $670, and then climbed to $1,500 in 1931 and $1,600 in 1943. As of 2018, the post office is located at 658 Main Street. Sources: Frickstad 1955, Patera 1994.
LW3185: 9600 dpi jpeg from original postcard purchased 2018 by Leon Worden.
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