About the Post Office

Acknowledgement of Traditional Lands

We acknowledge this sacred land on which Toronto’s First Post Office operates. It has been a site of human activity for 15,000 years. This land and its waterways are the traditional territory of many nations including the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat people. It is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.  

The territory was the subject of the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Iroquois Confederacy and Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations to peaceably share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. 

Today, the meeting place of Toronto is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are truly grateful to have the opportunity to work in the community, on this territory.

About the Town of York Historical Society and Toronto’s First Post Office

The Town of York Historical Society was born of the interest generated by the restoration of an historical block of buildings at Adelaide and George Streets, in downtown Toronto. These included the Bank of Upper Canada (1827), the De La Salle Building (1871), and Toronto’s First Post Office (1833).  Many experts – architects, historians and curators – volunteered assistance during the restoration project.  From this core group, the Town of York Historical Society was formed in February of 1983.

PURPOSE

The Town of York Historical Society, through the operation of Toronto’s First Post Office, tells the stories of life in the town of York and the early city of Toronto (1793-1851). We help Toronto’s current residents and visitors to engage with these stories, particularly through the lens of community, communication, and built heritage.

VALUES

The Town of York Historical Society is led by the following guiding values:

INCLUSION

The Society and Museum are welcoming places. The participation of the community is encouraged and valued.

DIVERSITY

The differences between our experiences are sought out and respected.

INSPIRATION

Through open and effective communication, the Society and Museum facilitates creative experiences that inspire participation.

SERVICE

The Society and Museum provide outstanding service to the community, and will continue to serve future generations.

Read more about the current Board of Directors of the Town of York Historical Society.

The Society operates a museum in 260 Adelaide St. East as Toronto’s First Post Office.

The original purpose of the building, as a Post Office, was restored by the Society. Within the museum, there is a full-service Canada Post outlet. The postal counter offers current Canadian stamps, USPS stamps (for return mail from the United States), P.O. box rentals, a pictorial cancel, and a reproduction of Toronto’s first cancel, dated March 6, 1834.