The Dundas Post Office

Postal service for the early Dundas settlers was critical to maintain communication with their loved ones wherever they may be. Although it was an important office, the post office moved around as frequently as the postmaster that ran it.

The first Post Office was unofficial and began in Richard Hatt’s store (now #2 Hatt St.) and the address was “Dundas Mills”, the name of Richard Hatt’s enterprise. In 1814, an official Post Office was granted and the community took on the name of Dundas from the name of the mills. This official Post Office continued to operate in Richard Hatt’s store with J. Secord appointed as Postmaster.

In 1820 the Post Office was moved into W. H. Coulson’s store on Main St. opposite today’s Town Hall. W. H. Coulson was Richard Hatt’s son-in-law. In 1826, Edward Lesslie became the Postmaster and he moved the Post Office into his drug store on the northeast corner of Main & York Streets. He died in 1827 and his son John took over as Postmaster until 1838 when he was fired because he was suspected of participating in the 1837 Rebellion with William Lyon Mackenzie.

In 1839, James Bell Ewart was appointed Postmaster and he moved the Post Office into his Bank of British North America located at #8 Hatt St. J. B. Ewart died in 1853, and in 1854 Patrick Thornton was appointed Postmaster and he moved the Post Office to a building on Main Street, near the corner of King & Main Sts. His son J. M. Thornton took over in 1863 and he moved the Post Office to the west half of the Cowper Block on King Street, east of Memorial Square.

James McQueen, Jr. took over in 1876 and moved the Post Office to the new Cosgriff Block located on the northeast corner of King & Sydenham Streets and in 1877 it moved again to the Elgin House on the south side of King St.

The Campbell Block on the south side of King St., between Foundry & McMurray Streets was purchased by the government in 1909 where they constructed a Post Office which also contained a Customs Office, which was opened on Oct. 30, 1913.

Up until 1948, when the first letter carrier service began, everyone went to the Post Office to collect their mail in person.

On July 1, 1970, the Dundas Post Office came under the Hamilton Post Office and Dundas officially lost its ‘Dundas’ post mark.

In 1973, public outcry prevented the Post Office from being demolished. The building is now home to several businesses.