Description of Historic Place

The Old Post Office, also known as the Former Post Office and Old Kingston Post Office National Historic Site of Canada, is a simple, but elegant two-storey, Neoclassical building constructed with Kingston limestone. The building, built between 1856 and 1859, is situated within the St. George’s Cathedral Block in Kingston, Ontario. The rectangular massing of the building consists of classically balanced symmetrical façades, with window and door openings that are enlivened by well-executed limestone detailing. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Old Post Office is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The Old Post Office is one of several district post offices constructed after the Canadian colonial government gained control of postal services. As such, it is associated with the Department of Publics Works’ building program of the 1850’s. Built in Kingston between 1856 and 1859, it is representative of the evolving principal facilities required for new and improved postal services. The Post Office is a very good symbol of the colony and the city’s expanding communication network, and contributed to the rising profile of the provincial government.

Architectural Value
The Old Post Office’s excellent aesthetic design is exhibited in its Neoclassical features, including its slightly projecting corner bays and rusticated masonry reminiscent of the Italian Renaissance. The excellent craftsmanship and materials of the building are evidenced in its construction and architectural elements. The building is also valued for its very good functionality as it was divided between working and public spaces with two vaults on the main floor as well as four entrances. It is one of the best examples illustrating the work of Montreal architectural firm Hopkins, Lawford and Nelson.

Environmental Value
The Old Post Office reinforces the unchanged 19th-century character of the St. George’s Cathedral Block as its excellent stone construction models the popular architectural trend in the area at the time. Because of its architecture, setting, and age, the Old Post Office has become a well-recognized and often visited site.

Sources: Julie Harris, Kingston Custom House and the Former Kingston Post Office, Kingston, Ontario, Federal Heritage Building Review Office Building Report 85-35 and 85-36. Former Post Office, Kingston, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement, 85-036.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Old Post Office should be respected.

Its excellent aesthetic design, craftsmanship and materials, and its very good functional design, as shown in:
- its rectangular massing of Kingston limestone construction, topped by a flat roof;
- the Neoclassical composition of its public façades and their well-executed limestone detailing, well-balanced with the scale of the building;
- the Italian Renaissance influences as seen in the richness of the masonry;
- the balance and rhythm of the original composition, which have been preserved;
- the four entrances, the central of which is recessed behind three arches, allowing access to the building without breaking the rhythm of the arches or the plan of the two arches;
- the arrangement of window and door openings;
- the surviving interior plan divided into public and working spaces;
- the survival of the original plaster ceiling and interior trim;
- the original detail reproduced in the 1912 addition;
- site elements associated with the building, including fences, gates and the stone stable.

The manner in which the Old Post Office has maintained a historical relationship with the St. George’s Cathedral Block and reinforces the character of the surrounding area, as evidenced by:
- its design, regular proportions and masonry construction which harmonize with the adjacent historic buildings in the streetscape;
- its public functions making it a familiar civic landmark in Kingston.