From the time that the first settlers arrived on the shores of Lake Ontario, leaving long days of ocean voyaging to the past, these pioneer families sought to maintain contact with relatives and friends in their native lands.

The earliest letters sent back to family members in the old country traveled as carefully guarded packages. Paper and writing tools were scarce, thus every inch of writing space mattered. These heart felt few words of contact sent across the oceans were delivered often through the kindness of friends who were returning to the old country. Even those letters received here in Upper Canada, by pioneers, were delivered in the same manner by anyone who was known to be traveling to the colonies.

It was not long before the government began establishing the structure for a regular mail system. The local Post Office came into being and often gave a new community its first village name. Enterprising members in communities across the growing country obtained the necessary appointments to begin handling the incoming and outgoing mail for the local community.

Visit our Post Office Database to see some of the local area Post Offices and discover their earliest known Post Masters.