History of Boynton House

The land that Richmond Hill's Boynton House is on was first promised to German-American immigrant, Peter Gotfried Philippsen, more than two hundred years ago. After he became the legal owner of the property in 1816, Philippsen sold it to John Doner. The lot was resold a number of times after that.

In the 1840s, the original 200-acre farm was divided in half and sold to two separate owners. The east half was bought by Thomas Fenby Boynton years later, in 1874.

Boynton was a farmer with an English background. His wife was Frances "Fanny" Monkman. The family owned another farm when they bought what is now known as the Boynton House. In 1875, the Boyntons also built a brick house on the land to replace a log home already on the property. Today the building is a historic site in Richmond Hill and is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.

Boynton House is a good example of a classic Ontario farmhouse. The exterior has only been altered a bit. In the early 1900s Boynton's son, Thomas Edward, added an Edwardian Classical style porch.

Richmond Green

Richmond Hill bought the Boynton House property in 1974. The site was used for a major new park facility and fairgrounds. The park was named Richmond Green. In the 1970s the barn area was used as a recycling depot.

Spring Fair

A concrete silo is still on the property as a reminder of the park's history as a working farm. Canada's first indoor soccer fields and lawn bowling facilities were opened on the park grounds in 1985. Other structures were built at the same time for Richmond Hill's annual Spring Fair. The Spring Fair was a local tradition since 1849.

In the late 1980s and through the 1990s, Richmond Hill's agricultural land changed to new commercial, industrial and residential areas. The farming community slowly went away as farmers retired and left the area. The final Richmond Hill Spring Fair was held in 1996.

Canada Day celebrations

Richmond Hill has Canada Day celebrations at Richmond Green park. The annual celebrations moved to this location in the 1980s. Our Canada Day firework displays brings in a big audience of Richmond Hill residents and visitors.

Railway station

The old Richmond Hill Railway Station is another historical building near the Boynton House area. The station is also a designated heritage building.

There was never a railway line in this location but that station was built in 1906. The building was designed in the Queen Anne Revival style. It was moved to the area in 1979 from its original location in the village centre. The move saved it from being destroyed after the railway closed the station in the mid-1970s.