We walked and drove past the old post office many times before realizing that what we were looking at was truly the date plaque, a terra cotta or clay panel above the rear entrance. Not only did they not mount the panel on the front of the building, as is the norm for federal buildings, but the architect must have felt the need to express himself with a little impressionism when designing the plaque. Hence, it's not immediately evident that the numbers therein are intended to be read as "1929", the year in which the post office came to being.
The first post office in Trail Creek opened in 1891 in the Trail House and later located to the Hanna(Schwartz) Block on Bay Avenue. In 1901 the post office moved across the street to the McPhee Building (Dolan Block) where it remained for twenty eight years.
In 1929 Vancouver architects were commissioned to design a Federal Building and Post Office to be built on Cedar Avenue. The classic brick architecture of this building reflected permanence and prosperity for the community. This is the building we have here.
In 1956 a new Federal Building was constructed on the corner of Spokane Street and Pine Avenue. Ever on the move, the post office moved there.
Today the Post Office Building is occupied by Wood Gundy and other, smaller businesses.
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