When attempting to get permission to explore historic locations it can be tricky, and down right rare when the location is inside of an active court house!
After years of trying to get permission and chuckling at a few friends who attempted to shoot it without permission (Yes that will go well while surround by cops and lawyers lol). The Attorney General of Ontario finally and surprisingly granted me two hours to shoot this 1930s post office. Just how surprising is it? To start, it is Ontario law that no photography or video is allowed inside of courthouses and in the nearly 40 years that the building has been a courthouse. There have only been two photos of the post office published and both were in the same news article.
Why this post office is so amazing is the preserved history! In fact, that article that posted the two photos in 2013. Called it the most beautiful room in the Hamilton Ont. and no one sees it. (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/headlines/paul-wilson-no-one-sees-downtown-s-most-beautiful-room-1.2468002)
The building was built in 1935 as the Dominion Public Building and was not only home to the post office but also Customs and excise, national health, immigration and various other federal government departments. These offices remained until 1991 when the Ontario government purchased it and turned it into the John Sopinka Courthouse. All federal offices were moved but the provincial government kept the main entrance and hallway, elevators and stairs original. In their 1930s state!
I walked the area back and forth, shooting away! With court officers, security and police all stopping to ask me what the hell I was doing lol. I was in complete awe of the architecture, so this is going to be a huge photo dump.
Courthouse Exterior:
Post Office:
Did I mention the tile mosaics of maps on the walls?
The brass table frames are so cool and the inch thick glass is something you wont see often!
Nearly everything is marble and brass!
