Trading Post & Printing House

Alexander Grant (1774-1848) born in Inverness, Scotland, emigrated with his father in 1785. He worked for the North West Company for several years. Alexander left the Company in 1805 at the age of 31 and bought lots 1-2-3 from François Samson at Pointe à L'Orignal. He traded furs with the Indigenous trappers and even built a fur trading post on Mill Creek. In 1808, Grant married Jane Macdonell (1787-1880). Although some buildings were already standing on his land, he did not begin building his future home, Duldraeggan Hall on the outskirts of the village, until a few years later.

The trading post having ceased operations, it later became the print shop for The Prescott and Russell Advocate newspaper. Owner and editor Basile R. Poulin published the newspaper for over fifty years. Mr. Poulin also owned a general store at the corner of King and Court Streets. In 1922, the old stone trading post-turned-print-shop fell prey to fire, destroying a host of valuable documents on L'Orignal and the life of the surrounding area. However, The Prescott and Russell Advocate, in print since May 28, 1888, continued until 1939.