First permanently settled sometime around 1767,
Pictou is a larger town with a lot of history and its fair share of historic sites and buildings. This post office, erected in 1895, should be one but, alas, it is not. Built of red sandstone, the stone was likely quarried at a quarry near Amherst, from which came the stone for many buildings constructed in that era. Apparently the building has the only chimney with a window in it in North America. It was recently listed for sale on a commercial real estate site, but is now off the market, seemingly unsold.
The Old Post Office was built in 1895 to accommodate the increased volume of mail passing through Pictou bound for Prince Edward Island and Quebec. This is a Victorian building with elements of the Georgian and Four Square styles built in sandstone with a copper sheathed roof. Apart from the imposing scale, the truly distinctive features are the dormers. The west dormer is unique, incorporating a chimney with a central window. The post office moved to a new location in 1956.
From the Pictou Virtual Walking Tour