History Tour

My mind is buzzing, so full of everything I need to get done...a bit overwhelming at times, the days disappear so fast.  At the moment I have been working constantly on the computer setting up a website for the holiday apartments, I have purchased a domain name and decided to use WordPress as the base template.  I am finding WordPress not as intuitive as Blogger but it seems to be able to do a whole lot more.  I am learning much about CSS files which I have not needed to know anything about for this blog...but I must admit even though it can be quite tedious and I take ever so long to work out somethings (thank goodness for YouTube tutorials), I am enjoying the challenge.   Hopefully I will have it ready to go live in a week or so and then will venture into that other must networking site FaceBook!

Things are continuing to move forward with the renovations, plumbers and electricians have been working away steadily this last couple of weeks. However this type of labour is hidden work and the photos will not look much different from the last time I posted about the renovations. So instead of boring you with those, I thought we would take a little history tour instead.

I visited the local library this week to see if they had any old photos of the Post Office and Unnar, a very helpful gentleman sent me these images.  Apparently there are not many photographs as most pics seem to be taken from the post office side with a view towards the church, although there probably are a whole lot more floating around in private photo collections somewhere. 

Gamla Pósthúsið (the old post house) as it is now called was originally built in 1952/3  as a telephone exchange and post office.  In the late 80's a side extension was added for more behind the scenes space for the postal workers.  In this extension a staff lunch room with small kitchen area, a parcel lift, mail sorting areas and basement were added.

This pic was taken on the 17th June 1963 and is of a gathering for National Day, outside the then telephone exchange and post office.

Not sure when this was taken but it is prior to the side extension in the late 80's.

The top floor (where I live) has always been the residence of the Post Master and families.

 This photo is of another National day celebration on the 17th June 1965. The image has been taken from the road Sudurgata. Today you would not see the post office as the bank building would obstruct the view but apparently back then there was a lovely garden...a shame it has all gone.

This is also a view from Sudurgata, the old home was removed and transported to a new location on the street behind the church sometime in the 80's to make way for the...I have to say ugly bank building.  I think this photo may be from the late 50's looking at the style of cars parked on the street and outside the post office.

A view of the lovely old house from the post office side before it was moved.  Apparently children often walked and played around there and would pick the berries growing along the fence.

A lovely lady Helga Rósa, who lived in the Post Office from 1989 to 1998 with her children and husband, the then current Post Master, sent me these two photos. This pic showcases the building in the centre of Kirkjutorg (church square).  It is also prior to the wheelchair access ramps and there were garden beds under the windows.  I hope to bring back this softer look to the exterior of the building eventually.

This pic is of where the old house was and just before the erection of the bank building

A more recent view, prior to 2008. 

It pretty much looks the same today but without the red post office sign and post box.