The Architects of our City

Albert Asa Post was born January 29th 1850 in Pickering Ontario.  His parents were Asa and Ann O’Reilly Post.  His father and his family operated inns along the King’s highway in Pickering and what is now Ajax.  Albert was educated at St. Michaels College after attending public school in Pickering.  He studied architecture as an apprentice to Mr. Henry Langley, the architect of Simcoe St. United Church and Mr. Langley’s nephew Edmund Burke.  In 1879, he opened his own practice at the four corners in Whitby.  He was a member of the Whitby School Board and the architect for the County of Ontario.

In 1891 he joined together with A. W. Holmes of England to form the company Post and Holmes.

Albert married Margaret Huggard on September 8 1891 in Toronto and they had three children Flora, Mary and Dr. John Asa Post.

Albert designed a number of buildings in Whitby notably the residence of John Fothergill on Dundas St., the Barnes Arena on Ontario St., the St. John’s Rectory on John St. and renovations to the Ontario County Courthouse in 1882.

Albert also designed the Bowmanville High School in 1888, the Gymnasium for the Whitby Collegiate in 1889, the Dunbarton United Church in 1886 and the new spire for St. Basil’s Roman Catholic Church in Toronto in 1886.  He also was responsible for the design of the St. Michael College School in 1891 and the St. Michael’s Hospital in 1894.

Albert Asa Post was known as a leading ecclesiastical architect.  Albert was a devote Catholic and designed a great number of Roman Catholic churches in Ontario and in Buffalo.  He designed the Annunciation Church in Buffalo in 1885, the Holy Name of Mary in St. Mary’s in 1892-93, St. Gregory’s Church in Oshawa in 1893, St. Peter’s in Goderich in 1896, St. Theresa’s in Buffalo in 1897, the Nativity Church in Buffalo in 1898 as well as the Mount St. Joseph’s Academy, Stella Niagara School and the Father Baker’s building in Lackawana.

St. Gregory’s church, built in the French Romanesque style replaced a much smaller 1841 church on the site. The cornerstone was laid in June 1893 and the building was dedicated in 1895.  The design for St. Gregory’s church was illustrated in the journal Canadian Architects and Builders in 1896.

Albert Asa Post moved to Buffalo in 1895 where he died on June 28 1926.  He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Buffalo.