The neo-Federal architecture of the Customs House has recently been
beautifully restored. The bulding features Italian marble from the same
quarry that DiVinci obtained his marble, brass doorknobs with and embossed
American Eagle, icicle glass with intricate patterns, and gracefully carved
woodwork. |
The United States shield and motto are the subjects of one of the mural
panels on the wall of the main room ofthe Customs House. |
The ceiling of the main room, located on the second floor, is a large
skylight with murals on canvass panels depicting various patriotic and
historical scenes and themes. |
Oakland Museum of California Gold Rush docents touring the Customs
House in San Francisco. Located at 555 BAttery in SF, the Customs House
was under construction at the time of the 1906 Earthquake, and was completed
a few years later. This is the room where importers come to pay import
dutines and obtain clearance papers to permit them to bring goods into
this country. These transactions are mostly handled automatically now. |
The letter-press - a 19th Centrury Copy machine. Documents written
in iron based inks were placed in this press next to sheets of moistened
paper. The moisture in the paper caused the iron in the inks to oxidize
and the iron oxides were transferred to the moist papers. A copy of the
original document resulted. |
Wells Fargo stage coach in the Wells Fargo Museum in San Francisco.
15 people, or more, could travel in luxury at a breakneck pace of 5 miles
per hour and in a little over 4 days of non-stop travel be in Los Angeles.. |