Built in 1862, Hillary House is owned by the Aurora Historical Society and recognized by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board as one of Canada’s best examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It 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. It is potentially among the foremost historic house museums in North America, combining architectural significance and the personal possessions of three generations of medical doctors who worked and lived there with their families. It is a window to a time of immense change, from the era of leeches and bleeding to the advent of penicillin, from a time of calling cards and private ballrooms to the arrival of the phonograph. Few museums can evoke the past and inexorable change so compellingly.

To preserve Hillary House for the future, the Aurora Historical Society, an incorporated non-profit organization, purchased the house and nearly two acres of surrounding land in 1981. This was made possible through the generosity of the Hillary family and Dr. Murray B. Koffler. The Historical Society previously undertook an extensive feasibility study under the direction of architect Peter L.E. Goering with the support of the Ontario Heritage Foundation and Parks Canada. At this time, it had become apparent that members of the Hillary family were unable to continue to maintain the house as a family residence and that pressures for the redevelopment of its Yonge Street location had begun to grow.

Working closely with architects, engineers, and heritage consultants from provincial and federal agencies, the Historical Society developed a master plan and began an extensive program of structural stabilization and exterior restoration. Faulty construction of the c. l870 ballroom wing and frost damage to an exposed foundation wall had led to significant deterioration. Initial repairs were made at a cost of approximately $200,000 through financial contributions by federal and provincial governments, the Laidlaw Foundation, the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation, Sterling Drug Limited, and many corporations, organizations, and individuals.

A second stage of work, between 1988 and 1992, saw improvements to heating, air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, and the complete restoration of the ballroom.

During both phases of this work, Miss Nora Hillary continued to live in part of the house as “resident curator.” She died in 1993 at age ninety one. While she was in residence, Hillary House was opened on an annual basis for Historical Society tours and by appointment for researchers and the general public.

In 1993, a monitored security and fire detection system was installed, the 1888 bathroom was restored, and a kitchen, multi-purpose room and two new washrooms were created in the rear wing. Also in 1993, restoration of the consulting room and dispensary was begun and a temporary curatorial office and collection storage area were established.

With funding from Parks Canada, a detailed analysis of the property’s grounds and gardens was undertaken under the direction of landscape architect Wendy Shearer. This study guides the maintenance and restoration of these areas today.

In 1998-99, the main staircase was reinforced, with engineering assistance from Parks Canada. Parks Canada also advised on the rebuilding of the balcony railing and the decorative detail of the front porch below it. At the same time, lead-coated copper gutters and downspouts were added, closely replicating the originals. Inside the house, the study was meticulously returned to its appearance just before World War I while the drawing room was restored to the late 1950s, in keeping with the museum’s goals to represent different eras of the house’s evolution over time.

In 2002, Hillary House became one of the first of Canada’s privately owned and operated National Historic Sites to complete a Commemorative Integrity Statement, under the direction of Parks Canada. The CIS inspires all aspects of the house’s restoration and interpretation.

The most recent project has been the restoration of chimneys, bargeboard, and a kingpost at the front of the house and complete replacement of its cedar-shingle roof and flashings.

Future challenges include the completion of Hillary House’s interior restoration, repairs to the woodshed and privy, and rebuilding the barn.

Through the work of part-time staff and Historical Society volunteers, Hillary House, the Koffler Museum of Medicine, has established regular visiting hours, is open to researchers by appointment, and offers special programs and events. Among these have been seasonal events at Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Victoria Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Teas are held on the verandah during the summer months. The Hillary House Players have offered a wide variety of programs, featuring readings and selections of instrumental and vocal music. Since 2002, a Murder Mystery Dinner at which guests portray characters from Aurora’s past has proven to be an extremely popular event.

The ballroom is frequently booked for private functions, ranging from receptions to recitals. It also has hosted meetings of a wide variety of groups, including branches of the Canadian Federation of University Women, the Herb Society of America, the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association, and the National Historic Sites Alliance.

In 2002, Hillary House and the Aurora Historical Society were the recipients of the 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. Dr. Godfrey is an examiner for the London Society of Apothecaries’ distance-learning program in medical history which uses Hillary House, the Koffler Museum of Medicine, as its North American address. Initial funding for this program came from the Hannah Institute for the History of Medicine.

Cataloguing the site’s extensive collection has begun, and additional research is underway. Along with John McIntyre and Michael Wills’s 1975 booklet, Hillary House, Alan Hally’s monograph, Dean Geikie, about Dean Walter Geikie, a founder of Trinity College Medical School and the builder of Hillary House, provides an introduction to the house and those who have lived there. Both were published by the Aurora Historical Society.

To date, restoration costs have totaled over $450,000. As the owner and operator of this National Historic Site, the Aurora Historical Society is faced with responsibilities and opportunities on an extraordinary scale.