Mission Post Office

Description:

Mission’s Post Office is a three storey brick and cement building, a well-known fixture of the downtown core. It sits at the corner of First Avenue and Welton Street with a southeastern facing entrance.

History:

The original building was built in 1935 to be Mission’s first dedicated post office. It was built in an art deco style at a cost of approximately $13,000.

The building was renovated in 1955 at a cost of $91,641 with additions on the rear and sides. The builders found that the original bricks used in construction were no longer available so the solution was to take some from the back of the building and use them to construct the new front. During this time, the Post Office moved to the local Legion building, for a period of nine months.

In 1982 the entrance was restructured to include wheelchair access but the original look of the building remains largely intact.

The building continues to serve as Mission’s main post office.

Architectural Features:

Two storey building with rear and western one storey additions built in art deco style. The entrance to the building has steps leading up to it on either side with a wheelchair ramp on the western side. The building is constructed with red bricks and has cement accents down the center column of the entrance face and around the front of the building above the windows.

Where to get further information:

The Mission Community Archives

Guide to Mission City BC: Walking Tour, PDF, 2005.

Fraser Valley Record. January 5, 1955. “Post Office May Use Auditorium For Six Months”

FVR. January 19, 1955. “Vancouver Firm Lowest Bidder On Post Office Building Work”

FVR. February 23, 1955. “Expect to Commence Work on Post Office Building Monday”

FVR. March 2, 1955. “Post Office Moves Sunday to Local Legion Building”

FVR. March 9, 1955. Picture on pg. 8.

FVR. April 13, 1955. “Extra Mail Box To Be Sought by Board of Trade”

FVR. June 8, 1955. “Mail Drop Box Authorized at Old Post Office”

FVR. September 7, 1955. Picture on pg. 1.

FVR. October 26, 1955. “Post Office in Own Building Again by Monday, Nov. 7th”

FVR. November 2, 1955. “Post Office in Own Building Again Monday, November 7”

FVR. November 26, 1955. “Mission City Blessed with New Post Office”

FVR. June 2, 1982. Picture on pg. 1.

FVR. June 30, 1982. Picture on pg. 5.

FVR. July 7, 1982. “Second start on infamous steps.”