August 4, 1926

Robbers Dynamite Post Office Safe!

Thieves carted the post office safe out the front door and loaded it on the running board of an automobile waiting on Main Street (present day Copenhagen Drive)

Solvang residents were awakened around 3:30 a.m. by a series of explosions as four professional cracksmen blew open the post office safe. The robbers broke in through a rear window, stole the postmaster's strong box, and rolled the small safe to a waiting automobile where it was tied to the running board with a large rope.

Evidently the rope broke before they had gone far and the safe fell to the side of Lompoc Road just at the outskirts of Solvang (present day Mission Drive near Nykobing). Holes were drilled in the lock and loaded with nitroglycerin. It took three attempts before the door gave way in an explosion that carried it 115 feet  from the scene and destroyed the safe contents.

The town's early mail vehicle, shown around 1913, ran letters between Gaviota, Solvang, and Los Olivos

Having a Post Office was an essential step in the creation of the town of Solvang. The town was founded in 1911 and on March 17, 1912 the first Post Office officially opened. Like the Solvang Library, the Post Office was initially located in a corner of the Solvang Hotel where it served as a vital link with the outside world and services.  

The Post Office was eventually moved from the Hotel to the new bank building on Main Street. It remained there until 1925 when the building was destroyed by fire (featured in our July 25th eMail). The Post Office temporarily relocated into a residence south of Solvang Drug Store, until a dedicated building was erected in 1925 (top photo).

The post office was remodeled in 1941 and the building was practically reconstructed from the top to bottom. Work included moving the rows of postal boxes along the façade to the inside of the building. There was no in-town delivery and no rural routes.

Solvang has the only Danish-style Post Office in the country

The current Post Office location on Alisal Road opened in September of 1962. Town delivery was inaugurated in July of 1963.  

The Postal Service remains an essential link, transporting and delivering mail and critical goods on a daily basis during the COVID-19 outbreak. Postal workers are the eyes and ears in our neighborhoods, and a crucial factor in facilitating the national census, vote-by-mail efforts, and distributing information on protecting health.

Stay safe,
Your friends at Elverhøj

Want to learn more about the history of Solvang?
The Spirit of Solvang book is available for shipping or curbside pick-up. Call 805-686-1211 or email info@elverhoj.org to place an order.

$39.95 plus tax
+ $7.95 for shipping