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Records group contains records relating to the restoration and operation of the Grange House in the Art Gallery of Ontario. Includes records of programs, exhibitions, research about inhabitants of the house, and day-to-day operation as a historic house.

The Grange served as the first exhibition space for the Art Gallery of Ontario (then known as the Art Museum of Toronto) since the Gallery took ownership of this historic landmark in 1913. It continued to house the administrative staff of the Art Gallery from 1918, when the first adjacent gallery spaces were built, until the early 1970s. At that time, the Art Gallery underwent the first of three major renovations, commonly referred to as Stage I.

Concurrent with this Stage I expansion, the Grange was restored as a gentlemen’s house in Upper Canada circa the 1800s. As administrative offices and the library were incorporated into the new footprint of the Gallery, the Grange became an exhibition site and period piece, with volunteers often dressing in costume, conducting tours and hosting events and 19th century themed exhibitions.

The first staff person to manage the Grange as an historical house was appointed in 1970 under the title Custodian/Keeper of the Grange. Initially hired to oversee the Grange restoration, Margaret Machell served as Custodian/Keeper of the Grange until 1981. During that time, the Grange was administered by a department of up to 17 staff, most of whom were historical interpreters. Initially reporting to the Director, this department became part of the Curatorial Division in 1977.

In the early 1980s, during a time of financial hardship, gallery director William Withrow laid off paid staff and asked volunteers to maintain the operations of the Grange. Two full-time staff under the Volunteer Activity Division of the Gallery a secretary/coordinator (Peggy Eades) and an historic housekeeper/interpreter (Ruth Keene) supervised.

In 1997, Jennifer Rieger was hired as a curatorial assistant to oversee the Grange and the extensive collection of original furnishings, artworks and objects inherited by the Gallery as part of the original bequest from Harriet Smith (nee Dixon). She reported to the Curator, Canadian Art until 2012 when her position title changed to Historical Site Coordinator of the Grange and she reported to the Associate Director of Visitor Services.

The Grange closed briefly during the Transformation renovations under architect Frank Gehry in the mid to late 2000s and reopened with the rest of the Art Gallery in 2008, housing the members’ lounge. In 2014, the second floor of the Grange was also converted back into administrative space for staff offices. The lower floor of the Grange House now houses the Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge.

By the mid to late 1960s, the Art Gallery of Ontario had grown substantially in size. To accommodate this growth, a master plan was developed to expand the gallery space and education facilities. Part of Stage I of this plan was to build new office space for a growing administrative and programming staff, thus moving existing offices out of the Grange.
Given the historical importance of the Grange, Director William Withrow sought funding to restore the Grange as a gentleman’s house circa 1835 to 1885 and open it to the public. Peter Stokes and Isobel Stewart were hired in 1967 to complete a feasibility study on the restoration and Peter Stokes was later hired as the architect to oversee the restoration. Jeanne Minhinnick was hired as consultant on the furnishings, J.R. Page Ltd as contractor and Verschoyle Blake hired as historical consultant.
The restoration of the Grange was overseen by the Grange Restoration Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees which first met in February 1969, and the Grange Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of the Women’s Committee. Margaret Matchell was hired as Custodian of the Grange in 1970 to coordinate the restoration project. She worked as the Keeper or Custodian of the Grange until 1981 when she became the first Archivist at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
The total cost of restoration was over $620,000 and took place between 1969 and 1973, concurrent with Stage I renovations to the Art Gallery. To raise the necessary capital the Art Gallery set up a Grange Fund which was overseen by the Women’s Committee. They contributed over nearly $400,000 towards the costs of restoration through special fundraising events such as Deck-the-Grange, KaleidAGO and Art Game, funding drives, memorial funds and other donations. The Art Gallery Building Fund provided $234,000 towards the project. Another $50,000 came from a Federal Government grant.
The restoration of the Grange was completed and officially opened to the public on April 18, 1973.

The series comprises correspondence, budgets and cost estimates, financial statements, contracts, progress certificates, correspondence related to the Grange Fund and the restoration of the Grange. It also contains the working files of Jeanne Minhinnick, furnishing consultant for the Grange Restoration, which consist of extensive notes, samples, and research by Jeanne Minhinnick on historical furnishings and interior design. There are also several original sketches of furnishings by her husband, William Minhinnick.

The series comprises of documents related to financial aspects of the restoration of the Grange including estimates, contracts, invoices, and budgets.

Series contains the original feasibility study for the Grange, specifications for the restoration, contracts and correspondence with architects Peter J. Stokes and Isobel Stewart, progress reports, minutes and project reports from the Grange Restoration Subcommittee, work orders, inspection reports, architectural drawings and specifications, and correspondence between Margaret Machell and Boulton descendants related to furnishings of the house.

Series contains Grange Fund Financial Statements, correspondence with donors to the Grange Fund, and an acknowledgement book that contains the names of donors.

Series contains the working files of furnishing consultant Jeanne Minhinnick, including correspondence, research, reports to the Women's Committee and the Grange Restoration Committee, reference photographs of furnishings, ink drawings of desired furnishings for the Grange by Jean’s husband William Minhinnick, and a volume of historic fabric samples.

Series contains promotional material related to the restoration of the Grange including AGO pamphlets/publications, notes and correspondence of the Grange Opening Committee, and correspondence related to display case planning.