Originally constructed in 1893, the sandstone building at 337 Water Street (now 1733 Water Street) was built
by the federal government to house the Post Office and Customs & Excise. Its real significance is that
it is a Thomas Fuller building. Thomas Fuller was the Chief Dominion Architect at the time when the Federal
Government was in the process of creating a strong presence by erecting impressive federal office buildings in many communities
across the country.
Building
sites were chosen for their prominence within the community’s business districts. Using local materials,
the buildings were stylistically a blend of High Victorian Gothic, the Second Empire style and Richardsonian Romanesque.
Influenced by the design trends of the day, the
annex portion of the building was constructed in the 1960s.
Of the 74 Fuller Post Office Buildings erected across the country only 31 are still standing.
Many have been given the historical designation by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board, who still maintain an inventory
of the buildings and their uses. The significance of this building to the community cannot be understated.
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