Description Postmaster Serves As Merigomish Historian

Postmaster Serves As Merigomish Historian
By Roland H Sherwood

The most unusual post office boxes, and perhaps the only complete set of its kind in use in Canada today, are to be seen at the post office in merigomish Pictou County . These boxes and there are 32 of them, have no keys such as convetional post office boxes , but each one is equipped with a combination lock. On the front of each box is a circular plate with numbers and a rotating knob and each box has its own code number, which when dialed opens the box.

All combination numbers of the different boxes are kept on file at the local office. If any box owner forgets his combination, or sends some other person to get his mail, the postmaster can either open the box or give out the combination with this set-up. children knowing the numbers can get the mail and there is no problem of lost keys.
The postmaster here is W.F. Smith, and the small office is in his store on the main highway through the village. He has been postmaster at merigomish since 1922.

Acquired Boxes

Mr.Smith acquired the unusual post office boxes from timmins Ontartio, some thiry years ago, when the post office department took over the mail delivery service from a local operator of that Ontartio town.
Merigomish as situated on a good gravel road an alternative route to Antigonish, off the main paved route 4 . The name "Merigomish" is an indian word meaning " The place of marrymaking", for big Island lying opposite Merigomish was used by early Indains as a gounds for sports.

W.F. Smith the postmaster of Merigomish is a keen student of local history, In his possession is a scrap book that he has made and kept of local happenings through the years. One interesting part of this local history is devoted to vessels built in the area. Some fifty vessels of various sizes were built and launched in or near Merigomish for this spot was a busy place in the days of sailing vessels.
Among the shipbuilders and owners of vessels along this shore where such familiar names as McLean, Manning,Cameron, McDonald, Gray, Crearer, Arbuckle, Foote, Copeland and Ives.

Unusual Names

In the Record that Mr.Smith has kept , there are vessels with intriguing names. Such as the 32-ton vessel built in 1866 by allan McDonald of lower barneys river. This was Christened " The Seaman's Bride" and leads one to speculate on why such a name was chosen.
Then there was the " Great darling" , the 99 ton brigantine built in 1852 by Purvis and MacDonald of Lower Barney's River. One wonders about this name too . The name recalls the English girl , Grace Darling, daughter of William Darling, lightkeeper on longstone one of the fame Islands. On the morning of September 7th, 1838, the Foriarshire bound from hull to Dundee struck among the fame Islands. Forty-three Persons were drowned. William darling and his daaughter Grace, Brought their boat to where the survivors crouched and rescued them from the wreck. This bravery attracted attention around the world. Father and daughter received medals and large gifts. Grace Darling became a heroine, and her name has always been associated with an heroic acy by a woman at sea. Is was likely in her honor that this Merigomish vessel was named " Grace Darling".
Then there was the "Atlantia" 195 tons. a brigantine built in 1840 by L.B Kirkpatrick, this name very likely coming from " Atlantis" which according to ancient myth or tradition , was the name of a huge island in the Atlantic Ocean and supposed to have connected north america to Europe. Some have thought that the Canary Islands are remains of this Island that was submerged by an earthquake.
Here at Merigomish , the places along the shore, where in the old days the vessels were built and launched have changed greatly with the years. The tideshave come creeping in, changing he contour of the shore, so that today the places that once floated the vessels are sealed off so that it is difficult to get even a dory in .

Fine Scenery

The Scenery along this shore is some of the finest, the road running close to the shore, sweeping up the high bluffs with the wide expanse of water always in sight. The French knew this shore in the early days. but they were gone before the English and Scotch came. Relics of their occupation of the land have been found in many places.
Although Merigomish is off the paved highway it is a place well worth seeing. It is small clean and swept by the fresh winds from the water and if its local history one seeks, there is no better person to talk to in this village than the postmaster, W.F. Smith and it is a novelty to have a look at te unusual post office boxes with the combination locks.--(copyright)