Saturday, May 4th, 10 am to 3 pm

Jane's Walk: Robert West arrives 1843 led by Dave Rawcliffe

What was Thornhill like in 1843 when Robert West arrived?

Morning tour: 10:30 am to noon

Afternoon tour: 1 pm to 2:30 pm

The walk start and finish at the Robert West House at 7780 Yonge Street (entrance at Old Yonge Street next to the Thornhill Pub)

Organized by the Markham Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Drop by the Robert West House at 7780 Yonge Street and visit Thornhill's West Side Stories Exhibition with artifacts from 1843.  Presented by the Thornhill Heritage Foundation.

Join the Thornhill Historical Society at their Meet & Greet event at the Armstrong House, 42 Old Yonge Street and see exhibits on the Thornhill Archives, advocacy work and education. 

Saturday, May 4th, 10 am to 3 pm

Jane's Walk: Robert West arrives 1843 led by Dave Rawcliffe

What was Thornhill like in 1843 when Robert West arrived?

Morning tour: 10:30 am to noon

Afternoon tour: 1 pm to 2:30 pm

The walk start and finish at the Robert West House at 7780 Yonge Street (entrance at Old Yonge Street next to the Thornhill Pub)

Organized by the Markham Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Drop by the Robert West House at 7780 Yonge Street and visit Thornhill's West Side Stories Exhibition with artifacts from 1843.  Presented by the Thornhill Heritage Foundation.

Join the Thornhill Historical Society at their Meet & Greet event at the Armstrong House, 42 Old Yonge Street and see exhibits on the Thornhill Archives, advocacy work and education. 

Sunday, June 12th from 11am-4pm

Did you know five members of the Group of Seven live in Thornhill?

Join us for a guided walking tour on June 12, 2022 and learn where they lived. 

Thursday, May 16th at 7pm

The History of Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto

by Joan Elliott

I will be speaking about the history of Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto, a Club founded by women, for women, to play a lifelong game, at their own private club.

It was founded by Ada Mackenzie.   Ada was a determined young woman from Havergal College, who was frustrated by her inability to be able to practice golf, especially on the weekends, when mostly only men were allowed to play.   She was a talented athlete and talked some of her wealthy friends (or the wives of wealthy husbands) into buying a property in Thornhill.

From November 1924 when the property was transferred to Ladies’ Golf and Tennis Club of Toronto, to 2024, the one hundredth anniversary of its purchase, Ladies’ has undergone, and is still undergoing, many changes.   Most recently, a major renovation to the over one hundred year old Clubhouse is underway.

Saturday, June 22nd from 8am to 6pm

The Thornhill Historical Society invites you to join us for a day trip to Prince Edward County.

Hop on the bus and join your fellow heritage enthusiasts as we leave to explore Prince Edward County.  Our visit will include a countryside drive, a County museum visit, a stop at a winery or cider farm.  The lunch stop will be in the charming small town of Picton, where you can also explore the local stores.

Tour direction & bus guide, David Rawcliffe.

This tour is made possible by the Thornhill Historical Society with a generous sponsorship form the Thornhill Heritage Foundation.

Join the Thornhill SNAP and the Thornhill Historical Society for a community event at the JEH MacDonald House on Sunday, May 28, 2023, from 10 AM – 2:30 PM. 

The MacDonald House was home to J.E.H MacDonald, one of the core members of the Canadian group of landscape artists known as the Group of Seven. It was here that MacDonald created his famous "The Tangled Garden" painting, which now resides in Ottawa’s National Gallery. 

This community event will consist of tree and shrub planting, guided walking tours, and an art exhibit/installation. Participants are welcome and encouraged to participate in any or all activities taking place. Water and light refreshments for those partaking in planting will be provided. Activities and their start/end times are as follows:

Community Planting (10 AM – 12 PM)

Help the Thornhill SNAP plant a total of 150 trees and shrubs to increase biodiversity and enhance the local urban canopy cover. 

Historical Walking Tour (11 AM -12:30 PM)

Explore Thornhill’s history through a guided walking tour hosted by the Thornhill Historical Society. 

Group of 7 Walking Tour (12:30 PM – 2 PM)

Learn about where members of the Group of Seven lived through a guided walking tour hosted by the Thornhill Historical Society. 

Artist Exhibit (10 AM – 2:30 PM)

Visit an art exhibit hosted by local artists. 

An Introduction to the History of the Royal Botanical Gardens

Thursday, April 13 at 7pm

Royal Botanical Gardens is both Canada’s largest botanical garden and a group of important natural areas totalling over 1,000 ha. Its origins are a complex and fascinating story with roots in plans to beautify Hamilton during the First World War. Thomas Baker McQuesten, a Hamilton politician and lawyer, developed the concept for a botanical garden of national significance in Hamilton after visiting RBG Kew and RBG Edinburgh in 1924. With others on the city’s Board of Park Management he worked to promote the idea, acquiring the first land in 1927. By 1934 Hamilton had more land in parks than any other city in Canada; much of it would later become RBG. Following completion of the first gardens in 1932 and incorporation in 1941, new gardens were built, new programs added, and additional natural areas protected. As a not-for-profit organization RBG promotes education, culture, science, and the protection and appreciation of plants and nature. We will stroll through the last century as we look at RBG’s antecedents in Canada, the formation of RBG itself, and the trends and personalities that brought the gardens into bloom.