Thornhill Historical Society

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Thornhill Historical Society The Thornhill Historical Society is a non-profit, charitable organization located in Thornhill, Ontario.

Welcome to the Thornhill Historical Society (formerly known as the Society for the Preservation of Historic Thornhill, (SPOHT)). The Thornhill Historical Society was established in 1974 to promote Thornhill’s history and architectural heritage in the face of pressures from urban development. For almost 50 years we have been an advocate for Thornhill’s architectural heritage, working with municipalities and community partners to identify and promote buildings and sites of historical significance. We have developed local history education resources, raised over a dozen heritage plaques to mark important sites, and we maintain the Thornhill Archives to preserve Thornhill’s documentary heritage. With an active membership, we host activities throughout the year, including engaging guest speakers at such events as the annual Heritage Night in February and our May meeting, host walking tours of historic Thornhill village, and even venture on a Mystery Bus Tour in June! All of these activities are promoted through our Newsletter, published and circulated to our members three times annually, and accompanied by expertly-written and illustrated feature articles on fascinating topics in Thornhill’s history. We welcome you to enjoy and support these efforts by becoming member!

10/20/2026

Welcoming Guest Speaker Jessica Allen

In 1843, a young maid was convinced of a shocking double murder in Richmond Hill. But was she truly guilty, or wrongly accused? Join Jessica Allen as she explores the mysterious case of Grace Marks, the story that inspired Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, and continues to intrigue to this day.

Tune in to the livestream of The Enigma of Grace Marks - Crime, Punishment, and Disappearance, welcoming guest speaker J...
10/20/2026

Tune in to the livestream of The Enigma of Grace Marks - Crime, Punishment, and Disappearance, welcoming guest speaker Jessica Allen!

πŸ•’ Beginning at 7:30pm

In 1843, a young maid was convinced of a shocking double murder in Richmond Hill. But was she truly guilty, or wrongly accused? Join Jessica Allen as she explores the mysterious case of Grace Marks, the story that inspired Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, and continues to intrigue to this day.

10/16/2026
Step back in time with the Thornhill Historical Society! Join us for our Annual Bus Trip to the beautiful Muskoka Herita...
05/22/2026

Step back in time with the Thornhill Historical Society!

Join us for our Annual Bus Trip to the beautiful Muskoka Heritage Place in Huntsville, Ontario, guided by David Rawcliffe.

πŸ“… Saturday, June 20
πŸ•— 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
πŸ“ Bus boards at 7:45 AM at Holy Trinity Church, 140 Brooke Street

Trip includes:
βœ”οΈ Bus transportation
βœ”οΈ Admission to Muskoka Heritage Place Museum & Village
βœ”οΈ Restaurant suggestions for lunch in Huntsville (lunch not included)

πŸ’² $85 per person

πŸ“© RSVP by Friday, June 5
Contact Judy Dawson-Ryan
[email protected]

Seats are limited β€” reserve your spot today!

HistoricalSociety ExploreOntario BusTrip Heritage Muskoka

Join the Thornhill Historical Society for a special evening at The Heintzman House!πŸ“… Wednesday, May 28πŸ“ Heintzman Houseβ˜•...
05/12/2026

Join the Thornhill Historical Society for a special evening at The Heintzman House!

πŸ“… Wednesday, May 28
πŸ“ Heintzman House
β˜• Refreshments: 7:15 PM
🎀 Presentation: 7:30 PM
πŸ“© Please RSVP by May 4

This is a zero waste event β€” thank you for helping us reduce waste and support sustainable community gatherings.

Donations are warmly welcome, and this is also a wonderful opportunity to become a member of the Thornhill Historical Society and support the preservation of our local heritage.

https://www.thornhillhistoric.org/make-a-donation

https://www.thornhillhistoric.org/join-ths

We look forward to seeing you there!

LocalHistory

04/21/2026

Last Thursday, April 16th, the Thornhill Historical Society held its Annual General Meeting.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening as we welcomed new board members and said goodbye to others who have contributed so much to our community.

A heartfelt thank you to Barry and Adam for your years of service and dedication. You will be greatly missed, and we wish you all the very best in your next adventures.

A big thank you to everyone who worked so hard to bring this evening together and thank you to Andrew for your continued leadership!

A special thank you to Vegan Danish Bakery for the amazing food and beverages, as well as the beautiful display that helped make the evening special!

Last but not least thank you to the Heintzman House for hosting us and Valerie for organizing a great AGM.

Welcome to our new members and if you would like to join as a member the link is in our BIO.

πŸ“£ You’re Invited!Join us for the Thornhill Historical Society’s Annual General Meeting πŸ—“ Thursday, April 16⏰ 7:00 – 8:30...
03/26/2026

πŸ“£ You’re Invited!

Join us for the Thornhill Historical Society’s Annual General Meeting

πŸ—“ Thursday, April 16
⏰ 7:00 – 8:30 PM
πŸ“ Heintzman House (135 Bay Thorn Drive)

πŸŽ‰ BONUS: Attend for a chance to WIN 1 of 25 FREE family passes to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection!

Come early (6:30 – 7:00 PM) to mingle, connect, and enjoy light refreshments

All are welcome β€” we’d love to see you there!
FreeGiveaway

Address

Box 53120, 10 Royal Orchard Boulevard
Thornhill, ON
L3T7R9

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