Seaside Post Office Celebrates 30 Years

The Seaside Post Office has a lot of fans. Other than the beach, It may be the most photographed spot in SoWal. A large crowd of admirers joined Seaside Founders Robert and Daryl Davis at a dedication ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Seaside Post Office on Friday, Oct. 23, at 10 a.m. in front of the Seaside Post Office on Scenic 30A in the heart of South Walton, Florida.

Just over 30 years ago, the Seaside Post Office was established in what was to become a bustling town center to offer a sense of place and lend credibility in the Seaside community. Seaside founder Robert Davis’ aim was to create the perception that the community was real at a time when Seaside and surrounding communities were just beginning to emerge.

At the 30th anniversary, it has become one of the most distinctive structures in South Walton, arguably one of the most photographed post offices in the world and has become an important civic and social element for Seaside and surrounding communities. Its services are nearly the same as its parent post office in Santa Rosa Beach.

Davis designed the post office with the help of Robert Lamar, an interior designer from Pensacola, and the American Vignola and the Builders Companion, two of a number of handbooks and manual of the 19th and 20th centuries that were used by carpenters and masons to build competent classical buildings. Master carpenter Terry Londeree built the post office and it was the second civic building to be built in Seaside.

“It did seem to me that having a post office would be an important symbolic element in establishing Seaside as a town,” Davis said.

Pat Day, post mistress for almost 30 years, said that Davis’ aim to give the town a common gathering place in the form of a post office is part of Seaside’s charm. “His good vision has come to fruition.”

The Seaside Post Office has already begun celebrating the 30th anniversary by offering a commemorative stamp featuring the iconic building. Likely to become a collectors’ item, a sheet of 20 stamps is available for $35 plus tax and a half sheet of 10 stamps is available for $20 plus tax.

For additional information on the post office pick up the Sept./Oct. Seaside Times or read article online: http://theseasidetimes.com/the-seaside-post-office-celebrates-30-years/

________________

For more information on Seaside, visit www.seasidefl.com.

Seaside, built on 80 acres on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast, is located in the center of South Walton County’s Hwy. 30-A. Acclaimed world-wide as one of the iconic examples of New Urbanism, Seaside offers a thriving town center with shopping and dining, all within walkable distance to homes, cottages and offices. Seaside was recently named the “Best Beach on Earth” for families by Travel + Leisure magazine and included in USA Today’s Top 10 Best Beach Towns in Florida (2013) by “Dr. Beach.” The town was also the primary filming location of the classic movie “The Truman Show.”