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Almassippi Post Office

Almassippi lay north-west of the present site of Graysville and was known locally as “Scrubtown”. This settlement was originally located in the RM of Elm River; in 1890, it became part of the RM of Dufferin. Homesteads were filed in the region from 1881. The land was covered with bush and heavy scrub with sandy soil and some low-lying swampland.

By 1885, the cluster of settlement warranted a post office. It was opened in the home of first postmaster John Lawrenson (NW 34-6-6w) who served from 1885–1902. Mail was brought from Barnsley until the railway reached Graysville in 1902 and mail was picked up from that location by mail carriers. The post office changed postmaster and location three additional times before it closed in 1925. Children in the area attended Ravenswood School (4-7-6w) and an active Presbyterian congregation met in the school for services and Sunday School classes.

The sign was erected in 2003 by the Carman/Dufferin Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee.

The History of the R.M. of Dufferin provides further information on Almassippi and its first settlers (p.38), school (p.175), church (p.211) and post office (p.230).

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Almassipi Post Office

See also: Ravenswood School

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