Aurora Historical Society

Conservation/Preservation:

Architecture

Built in 1862, Hillary House is recognized by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board as one of Canada’s best examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It is also a fine example of the architectural links between household and medical office. It retains its original layout, which provided for a medical examining room and dispensary at the front, with family living quarters behind. Rather than being incidental to the design, as in other examples of houses built for medical practitioners, the spaces used for the practice of medicine here were very carefully planned to provide convenience and privacy for both patients and family members. See the website for details.

Artefacts

Hillary House contains a significant collection of medical instruments, books, papers, household furnishings, and equipment dating from the early nineteenth to the late twentieth century and is open to the public as Hillary House, the Koffler Museum of Medicine.

Library

Charles Godfrey Library, an outstanding collection of books, journals, and manuscript material relating to the history of medicine and the social and cultural history of early Ontario. This collection is housed temporarily at the Aurora Public Library.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

The presentation of artefacts in Hillary House, as well as special exhibitions.

Publications

Booklets on the history of Hillary House.

Tours

Hillary House offers guided tours, led by knowledgeable interpreters, of its historic home and grounds throughout the year. Special accommodations can be made for large groups.

Education

School tours and programs for Brownies and Scouting earning Heritage Badges.

Special Events

Lectures, cultural events, children’s activities.

City of Toronto Archives

Conservation/Preservation:

Archives

Government Records

The archives collects documents created by the City of Toronto government and by its predecessor municipalities that existed between 1792 and 1997, including records of councils, agencies, boards, and commissions.

Cities and towns included are the current City of Toronto 1998-Present, the former City of Toronto 1834-1997, East York 1924-1996, Etobicoke 1850-1997, North York 1922-1997, Scarborough 1850-1997, York 1792-1997, Brockton 1881-1888, East Toronto 1888-1909, Forest Hill 1924-1966, Leaside 1913-1966, Long Branch 1915-1966, Mimico 1911-1966, New Toronto 1913-1966,North Toronto 1889-1913, 1942, Parkdale 1879-1889, Swansea 1926-1966, Weston 1882-1966,West Toronto 1888-1910, Yorkville 1853-1883.

Non-Government Records

These records were created by a wide variety of groups and individuals, including interest groups, resident and ratepayers’ associations, clubs, social service groups, businesses, retired politicians and civil servants, artists, activists, families, and ordinary citizens. A complete list is available on the website.

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

The archives has two exhibit spaces which features photographs and textual records from its collection. The smaller exhibit space highlights recent acquisitions, while the larger main-floor gallery explores changing themes, such as how immigrants in Toronto’s notorious slum “The Ward” were portrayed in the media, or the history of food production in Toronto. Main exhibits change annually and smaller ones change more frequently.

Online

  • The archives’ descriptive database provides an online finding aid for its collection, and includes well over 10,000 digitized images of Toronto and its former municipalities, including photographs and maps.
  • Web Exhibits include such topics as, “The Earliest Known Photographs of Toronto”, “A Work in Progress: Preserving Toronto’s Architectural Heritage” and “An Infectious Idea: 125 Years of Public Health in Toronto”. The archives also has a Flickr account and a very active Twitter account.

Tours and educational programming

The archives’ educators provide curriculum-based programming for students in public and high school. For university or college students, they provide educational workshops on archival theory and practice using the archives’ collection, or on a specific research area which aim to provide students with the skills needed to conduct future research. Tours of the facilities are available to fit the visitors’ requirements.

Virtual Museum of Canada

Conservation/Preservation:

Online Exhibitions

Virtual exhibits and interactive learning resources on numerous subjects, created by Canadian museums and galleries. Local history exhibits that capture Canadian community memories, drawn from the collections of small museums and local memories and treasures are also available.  Organized by museum, name or subject, the themes of Aboriginal Art, Culture and Tradition, Arts in Canada, Canada at War, Canadian Musical Traditions, Canadian Women, Science and Medicine and Vancouver 2010 make up the bulk of the collection.

Image Gallery

Showcases thousands of artefacts, photos, paintings and objects from Canadian museums. Amongst others, it contains the works of the Group of Seven, Marc-Aurèle Fortin, Emily Carr, and many other artists. 

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Conservation/Preservation:

Artefacts

Black Creek Pioneer Village’s collection of 50,000 artefacts represents the development of the Toronto region in the 19th century. Of special note are the Percy Band Toy Collection with over 2,000 pieces and the Catherine Thuro Collection of over 150 working kerosene lamps. Other items include domestic artefacts, books, fine art, furniture, machinery, textiles, and tools.

Architecture

Black Creek Pioneer Village features a collection of 40 heritage homes, trade shops, community, and farm buildings from across south central Ontario. Each of the Village’s original buildings has been restored and furnished to recapture its original ambiance and demonstrates how settlers used it. Examples consist of a print shop, grain barn, smoke house and a tinsmith shop.

Digital Archives

Digital archive of onsite museum’s holdings available: http://www.blackcreekartifacts.com/bcpv/srchitem.html.

Public Programming

Exhibitions

At Black Creek Pioneer Village visitors enjoy exhibits focusing on the people and stories of Toronto Region, including the award-winning Breaking the Silence: Stories of the British Home Children, 1869-1948.

Public Programs

Public programs are offered daily and range from tours of the recreated 19th century brewery to short performances by Black Creek’s History Actors, from hands-on Discovery Stations to Farmyard Friends where visitors can get up close with heritage breed animals.

SPecial events

A seasonal roster of special events include Pioneer Harvest Festival, which has been celebrated annually for over 50 years, Light Up the Night, Ghost Walks, and Christmas by Lamplight.

Educational Programming

Interactive curriculum-linked programs are provided for students ranging from pre-school to post-secondary.

Ashbridge Estate

Conservation/Preservation:

Architecture

The oldest house remaining on the site, the Jesse Ashbridge House, was built in 1854 according to a design by Joseph Sheard, architect and Toronto mayor (1871-72).

  • A blend of Neo-Classical brick quoins.
  • Decorative cornice brickwork and Regency style (as seen in the veranda’s bellcast roof and fanciful arcaded treillage).
  • The mansard roof is in the Shingle Style, added c. 1899.

Artefacts

A significant collection of household and personal artefacts:

  • The original land grant and wax seals, samplers, a conch shell, a family bible, an 1888 canoe, and bean pot are other artifacts that express the scope of the collection, dating from the 19th to the early 20th century.

Archives

A large collection of archival documents representing the personal characteristics, tastes and influences that affected six generations of the Ashbridge family.

Public Programming:

Tours

Open seasonally to the public during special events such as Doors Open Toronto and Toronto Heritage Week.

Applewood-James Shaver Woodsworth Homestead Foundation

Conservation/Preservation:

Architecture

The building, moved in 1980 to avoid demolition, serves as an example of the architecture of 19th century farmhouses in this region.

Artefacts

The interior of the homestead has been restored and furnished in the Victorian period of 1870-1890 (e.g. furniture and personal effects such as desks, china dolls, roll top desks, kitchen appliances).

Public Programming:

Tours

A tour of the main floor rooms and basement, with a slide presentation of the big move and restoration of the homestead.

Tours can also be tailored to a group’s interest, (i.e. J.S. Woodsworth, historic buildings, pioneer life, the Shaver Family, etc.).

Visitors may drop in and staff are available to answer questions.

Anglican Diocese of Toronto Archives

Conservation/Preservation:

Archives

  • Non-current parish records, such as baptism, marriage and burial records, parish history files, photographs and architectural drawings.
  • A central filing system for active and semi-active files of the Diocese, e.g. records concerning parish and diocesan property, correspondence, deanery minutes and correspondence, diocesan boards and committees.
  • Treasury and personnel files.

Public Programming:

Tours

Available by appointment. 

Spadina Museum

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

  • Originally built in 1866 on the foundation of an early Baldwin family house, the estate was enlarged and remodeled by Albert Austin between 1898 and 1913, reflecting the changing times and tastes of the Austin family over three generations.
  • The historic house illustrates the evolution of styles from mid-Victorian to 1930s Colonial Revival and includes items from both the Arts and Crafts and Aesthetic Movements, as well as items in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles.
  • The rooms contain furniture purchased by the family, much of it made in Toronto. The influence of new technologies such as gas lighting, central heating, electricity and the telephone can be seen here.
  • The life of the domestic staff is represented in the working kitchen and pantries and third floor accommodations. The most visible reminders of the former Baldwin house are the previous front door, sidelights and fanlight, which now form the back entrance.

Tours

  • Meet the Austins: A Toronto Family Between the Wars

Education

Spadina Museum offers a range of elementary, secondary and post-secondary education programs.

Children’s programs include March Break and Summer camps, and birthday parties.

Adult hands-on workshops on a variety of topics are scheduled throughout the year.

Events

The museum offers a range of special events throughout the year including Mother’s Day, Doors Open (last weekend of May), Gatsby Garden Party in June, City Cider in September, and seasonal programming in November/December including the Ongoing Adventures of Flashman, a live radio play.

Other

The 6 acre Spadina Museum site includes lawns, orchards, restored garden beds and many large heritage trees.  The grounds are open free of charge to the public when staff are on site.

Scadding Cabin

Public Programming:

Exhibitions

Scadding Cabin is constructed of squared, white pine logs with dovetailed corners and is furnished as a typical settler’s first house, with artefacts dating from the 1790s to the 1850s

Re-enactments / Theatre

Costumed volunteers will happily answer your questions about the early history of York (Toronto). York Pioneers often organize displays of settler skills such as spinning and wood carving, and presentations by members of First Nations.

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto Archives

Conservation / Preservation:

Archives / Library

  • Episcopacy of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Administrative records of the Bishops, Archbishops and Auxiliary Bishops of Toronto documenting their ecclesiastical challenges and daily activities. This includes papers of Bishop Alexander Macdonell, who was the first bishop of the Diocese of Kingston, which from 1826-1840 included the territory of the current Archdiocese of Toronto.  The papers are described at the file or item level up to the end of Archbishop Pocock’s episcopate. Finding aids, including item level descriptions, are available for research use up to 1961, which marks the end of Archbishop James C. Cardinal McGuigan’s active episcopate.
  • Administrative Records of the Archdiocese of Toronto – Documents pertaining to the day-to-day business of the offices and agencies of the Archdiocese, including some subject based collections such as the World Wars, Catholic Cemeteries, Education, etc. The most commonly accessed collections are the Parish Historical Records, and Architectural Drawings.
  • Other Collections – Ancillary records regarding Archdiocesan committees and commissions, as well as Catholic institutions and organizations working within the Archdiocese.
  • Special Collections – Collections determined by material format. In the past, these items were often removed from other areas of the archives to facilitate preservation and access. Special collections (including photographs, rare books, artwork, textiles, and artifacts) enrich the administrative records of the other three parts of our holdings.

Artefacts

Examples of Special Collections include: Artifacts, Altar Stones, Diocesan Seals, Medallions, Papal Bulls, Relics and Textiles.

Public Programming:

Digital

Weekly posts to blog, The Archivist’s Pencil. http://archives-archtoronto.blogspot.ca/

Other

This archives provides reference service for phone and email inquiries as well as in-house research assistance. Researchers are welcome to book an appointment after consulting with the reference archivist and determining a course of research that is consistent with ARCAT’s policies.