From the archives: the J.E.H. MacDonald House

July 18, 2021 10:00 a.m.
Learn more about the city’s history from Vaughan Archives
 
From a farmland community to a bustling city centre and everything in between – Vaughan’s transformation is a story worth telling. As part of a monthly series, the City of Vaughan will be releasing historical content from Vaughan Archives, Office of the City Clerk. Citizens are encouraged to scroll through memory lane, learn about the city’s past and explore the places, people and events that are pivotal to the development of the city of Vaughan that we know today.
 
Located at 121 Centre St. in Vaughan’s Thornhill neighbourhood, the J.E.H. MacDonald House is the first historical feature in this new series.
 
Born in England in 1873 to a British mother and Canadian father, James Edward Hervey MacDonald immigrated to Canada with his parents in 1887. He took lessons in lithography and painting and enrolled in Saturday classes at the Central Ontario School of Art and Design (later known as the Ontario College of Art and Design) by the age of 25. His talent flourished during these years and he soon became associated with Toronto-based art groups. 
 
On March 20, 1913, MacDonald purchased the 121 Centre St. property from William and Jessie Norman for $6,500. The house was built in the late 19th century and is situated on a four-acre parcel of land with a surrounding garden. Two additional structures, located south of the main house, were built on the property in the early 20th century. He lived in the house mainly during summers and holidays.
 
MacDonald became one of the original members of the first distinct nationalistic art movement in Ontario, the Group of Seven. In May 1920, the group held its first showing at the Art Gallery of Toronto (later the Art Gallery of Ontario). MacDonald was best known for his depiction of the natural and unspoiled Canadian landscape and his most well-known painting, Tangled Garden (1916), illustrates the grounds at his Thornhill home.
 
 
 
MacDonald passed away on Nov. 26, 1932. In 1957, his son, Thoreau MacDonald, was granted the property at 121 Centre St. from his father's estate. He occupied only the studio space from 1922 to 1949 for his design work. In 1949, Thoreau made the Thornhill property his permanent studio. In 1974, Thoreau donated the J.E.H. MacDonald House and its grounds to the City of Vaughan. The property was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1983 and the house was subsequently restored. Thoreau lived in the house until 1980 and died on May 30, 1989 at the age of 88.
 

 
 
ABOUT VAUGHAN ARCHIVES
 
Established in 1988, the City of Vaughan Archives is home to more than 600 collections, consisting of both City records and historical community records pertaining to Vaughan from 1860 to present day. Records include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • City business records with long-term legal and administrative value, such as Council meeting minutes, by-laws, assessment rolls, financial records, reports and official correspondence
  • church, community and school records
  • census records
  • historical photographs
  • land records
  • historical maps, plans and aerial photographs
  • newspapers
  • personal papers of past residents and founding families, such as diaries, family histories, journals and letters
  • records of local organizations both past and present

VIEW VAUGHAN’S ARCHIVES ONLINE!

As part of the City's COVID-19 response, Vaughan City Hall remains closed to the public – but the City’s Archival Collection is on digital display for all to explore! The below galleries are now available in the City’s online gallery on Flickr:

  • Featured Artists of Vaughan
  • Historical Families of Vaughan
  • Historical Figures: Sir Beaverbrook
  • Historical Photography
  • Recollections of Rural Vaughan 
  • Remembrance Day Virtual Exhibit
  • The Mary Wood Collection
  • The Way We Were: Representations of Vaughan’s Past
  • Vaughan Working Environments
  • Vaughan Through the Ages: Medicine
  • Vaughan Through the Ages: Music
  • Vaughan Through the Ages: Sports and Recreation 
A personal Flickr account is not required to access the City’s online gallery, which contains only a small selection of the full archives collection. If you are looking for a certain image, original file, primary source record and more, contact Vaughan Archives by calling 905-832-2281 or emailing archives@vaughan.ca.
 
By managing and preserving both City and community records, the Archives and Records Management Services team ensures that Vaughan’s rich and varied history will continue to be available for future generations. Learn more at vaughan.ca/archives.
 
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