The Coalhurst Post Office was opened on the first day in
September 1912 at the location being Section 21, Township
9, Range 22, north of the 4th Meridian. Mr. J. J. Beaton was
the first post master who resigned five months later on Jan. 3, 1913.

Mr. James McDermott became the second post master on April 2,
1913, but had different people working in the post office as clerks,
some being, Ernest McDermott, Mrs. Jenny Fleming, Lillian Sprout
and Beatrice Adams.

Some of the old timers had told us of the terrible fire that took
some of the business establishments, including the post office.
On the morning of Dec. 19, 1934 the mail had been taken in
the post office to be sorted for the families. Later that night
the building burned to the ground. Most of the families lost
their Christmas mail and parcels that year.

Sometime after May 16, 1935 the Post Office was moved into
the Standard Bank. Mr. Hugh McLeod brought the mail from
the C.P.R. Station to the post office for many years. Quite a
task for a man with one leg. After Mr. McLeod quit, Mr. Deak
and Fred McLaren brought the mail.

Mr. McDermott resigned the position of post master on Jan. 1,
1953 and was replaced by Fred McLaren on April 1, 1953 the
location still being the Old Standard Bank.

Everyday saw Ann McLaren walking up to the Post Office to
give out the mail. Soon the location was moved down to the
home of Fred McLaren where it remained for 19 years. In
searching for dates of the mail coming in by transport we
wrote the Public Archives in Ottawa. Their reply reads: "In
reply to your recent letter concerning postal services to
Coalhurst, our records show that the Coalhurst and C.P.R.
Station mail service was discontinued on 24 April 1955 and
was to be replaced by motor vehicle service (Record Group 3,
Records of the Post Office. Mail Service Contracts, vol. 1339).
Our records also show that the Lethbridge, Vulcan and Calgary
route, replacing the above route, did not begin until I August
1956 (Record Group 3, Records of the Post Office. Mail Service
Contracts, vol. 2715). 1 could find no record for mail service
for the fifteen month period, April 1955 to August 1956."

How our mail came for those 15 months remains a mystery,
but we did have mail. Mr. and Mrs. Fred McLaren retired on
Oct. 13, 1972 and Mrs. Geraldine McLaren became our new post
mistress and our post office was moved once more to the home
of the new post mistress.

Our post office moved once more in 1977 when the McLarens
moved into their new home.

Mrs. McLaren was replaced in Sept. 1983 and Mr. Dick
Thompson became our post master, the post office remaining
in the McLaren residence until Jan. 1984 when it was
moved to the present location.

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