The York Pioneer and Historical Society began on April 17, 1869, with the purpose of preserving the history of the Home District.

[3] Following the death of Tecumseh in 1813, there was an effort to find his final resting place, but because he was buried quickly, the site was unknown.

York Pioneer Richard Oates, in an attempt to bury Tecumseh's bones beside Sir Isaac Brock's at Queenston Heights, set out to find the lost burial site.

The discovered bones looked promising, but the party delayed full excavation for experts to arrive.

Sharon Temple was opened in 1832 by David Willson, who after a disagreement with the Quakers, founded a sect of his own known as the Children of Peace.

In addition to acquiring the temple, the York Pioneers also acquired relics, including an organ, said to be the first organ built in Canada, a book containing David Willson's original entries, the Statues of His Majesty's Province of Upper Canada, printed in 1792, and a "tattered" almanac of 1813, printed by John Cameron of York.

The church served the religious needs of the community for 110 years, and it was representative of the Scottish influence of the area and the common use of fieldstone as building material.

However, in the face of additional repair work needed, the York Pioneers sold the church in June 2012.

[3] The YPHS archives consists of the Society's papers and records, historic artifacts and photographs, a set of the Annual Reports dating from 1906 to the present, recorded oral histories, and a collection of over 150 books and pamphlets relating to the history of Toronto and York County.

Some items in the collection include the crib made for the first registered birth in the Town of York, a chair and table used by John Graves Simcoe, and a bell used by Alexander Muir when he was a school principal.