Providence Bay Post Office

Prior to 1873 the Post Office is said to of been operated by the Mutchmor & Co. Sawmill; but it is only hearsay before 1873; as Canada Post Records can not be accessed before that time.

The Providence Bay Post Office was established on December 1, 1874 with John R. McNiven as first postmaster.

The mail came from Parry Sound via Manitowaning to Providence Bay by boat in the summer on fixed days once per week. In the winter the mail came to Manitoulin Island by foot around the shores of Georgian Bay until the 1880's when the Canadian Pacific Railway was built as far as Algoma Mills, 70 miles west of Sudbury.

It was during John R. McNiven's term that the only known cork killers were used. The first used in 1874-1878 is known as Jarrett's type 1373. This cork is known on all values of the registration stamps and were in blue, violet, brown and green inks in this time period. The second type, Jarrett's 1361 was used from May 1878. No cork canceller was made exactly the same. The date cancellation hammer used at this time was the split circle type with the curved segments between Providence Bay and Ontario. Measuring 3mm, and having the lettering rounded off. A second split circle type canceller was issued to the Providence Bay Office in the late 1890s with the letters squared off and side segment measuring 5mm. This cancellation hammer was used to cancel the stamps exclusively. This type was used up until the 1960's when the post office was issued the full circle hammer common to most post offices today.

On June 2, 1883 Robert "Paddy" F. Ogle took over the Post Office at Lot 21 Mutchmor Street West. Upon Robert's death in 1903 his daughter Francis -Fannie- S. Ogle was appointed. Fannie was not only Post Mistress but also telephone operator as she took the first phone call that came to Providence Bay in July of 1898. Francis held office until her death October 1941.

John Wesley Anderson took over the office until 1957. Donald -Don- McDougall took it over until his death in 1965. From 1965 up to 1973 Don's wife Grace McDougall was Post Mistress.

In 1972 the mail was brought to Sudbury post office and from there it was brought by private courier to Espanola, where it was again taken to various post offices on the Island.

The old post office next to McDermid's Home Hardware was privately owned until 1975 when the building was claimed by fire and the lot has been vacant and remains so in the present day of 2005.

Old Providence Bay Post Office

Pearl McFarlane

at the Post Office

Inside the Old Post Office

John Wesley Anderson

Don McDougall

A young Ab Oakes

with the mail horses

Grace McDougall (nee Tracey)

The Post Office was then moved to Lot 13 Mutchmor Street and was ran by Calvin and Betty Ann Pearson in 1973.

Until late October 2005 the Post Office was located in McDermid's Home Hardware on Lot 20 Mutchmor Street West when it was then moved to the Huron Sands Motel with Post Mistress being Diane Kay.

* In compliance with the Privacy Act (1983), certain personal information has been deleted from this file.

Name of postmaster	Date of birth	Date of appointment	Date of vacancy	Cause of vacancy
John R. McNiven		1874-12-01	1878-12-20	Resignation
John Wesley Muchmor		1879-04-01	1882	Resignation
R.F. Ogle		1883-07-01	1903-07-12	Death
Miss Frances G. Ogle	1874-01	1903-09-01	1941-10-05	Death
John Wesley Anderson	1887-01-30	1941-10-05	Acting
John Wesley Anderson	1887-01-30	1941-11-04	1957-06-12	Resignation
Donald McDougal	*	1957-09-08	Acting
Donald McDougal	*	1958-07-29	1965-06-02	Death
Mrs. Grace McDougal	*	1965-06-03	Acting
Mrs. Grace McDougal	*	1965-07-16	1973-06-30
Calvin H. Pearson	*	1973-07-01