The Thornhill Heritage Foundation was founded in 2009 to own and maintain assets deemed to be of significant heritage, historic, cultural importance, or of major financial value. Our current proerty is:
Robert West Heritage House
7780 Yonge Street (entrance off Old Yonge Street) L4J 1W3
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About The Robert West House
The Robert West Heritage House, as 7780 Yonge Street is known, is the only house in Thornhill to be continuously inhabited by the same family since it was built. Robert Arthur West (1816 - 1884), an English immigrant, came to Upper Canada in the 1830s.
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Katherine Louisa Keith (nee West) was born in Toronto in 1912. She was the great grandaughter of Robert West and became his last living descendent.
In 2008, with her advancing age, she decided that the best way to ensure that the house was preserved was to donate it
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About the Foundation
The Thornhill Heritage Foundation was founded in 2008 to own and maintain assets deemed to be of significant heritage, historic, or cultural importance, or of major financial value, donated directly to the Foundation, or re-assigned from the Society for the Preservation of Historic Thornhill. Following approval by the Ontario Historical Society (OHS) Board of Directors on April 19, 2008, the Thornhill Heritage Foundation was affiliated with The Ontario Historical Society and incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable corporation in the Province of Ontario.
Over 160 years after the house at 7780 Yonge Street was built it was generously donated to Thornhill Heritage Foundation by 4th generation Mrs. Louisa Keith and named The Robert West Heritage House, recognising the first owner. Mrs. Keith passed away in 2011 and work then began in earnest to make the necessary changes to the House, as required by law, to allow public access.
Many things have changed since then. While working towards opening as a Museum in June of 2021, we are faced with the Covid-19 pandemic. As of fall 2020, plans are ongoing, in the hope the authorities allow this. We are undertaking repairs and maintenance along with installing lighting for the Museum. Our fundraising activities are on hold, however, donations are still welcome and needed to complete repairs, and pay for the needed exhibit lighting. Thornhill Garden & Horticultural Society are preparing the garden, while keeping a physical distance between their members. Under their tutelage the garden is becoming a thing of beauty.
Members of the Thornhill Heritage Foundation with Mrs Keith in 2009
[Back row L to R] Nigel Connell, Chair; David Rawcliffe, Secretary; Dr. Ed Pamenter, Executive Director
[Front Row L to R] Wendy Locke, Treasurer; William Wylie, Vice Chair; Robb Stitt, Administrative Officer
Mrs Keith
View the Foundation's Constitution here.
