Casa Loma

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Casa Loma
Established	built 1911; established as museum 1937 (1937)
Location	1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1X8, Canada
Type	historic house museum
Director	Virginia Cooper
Curator	Joan Crosbie
Public transit access	Dupont Station, TTC
Website	http://www.casaloma.org/

Coordinates: 43°40′41″N 79°24′34″W / 43.67815°N 79.4094556°W / 43.67815; -79.4094556

Casa Loma (Spanish for House on a hill) is a museum and landmark in uptown Toronto, constructed as a neo-romantic castle. It was originally a residence for financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Casa Loma was constructed over a three-year period from 1911-1914. The architect of the mansion was E. J. Lennox,^[1] who was responsible for the designs of several other city landmarks.

[edit] History

In 1905 Sir Henry Pellatt purchased a private golf course from his neighbour, Albert Austin. Sir Henry commissioned Canadian architect E.J. Lennox to design Casa Loma with construction beginning in 1911, starting with the massive stables, potting shed and Hunting Lodge (a.k.a. coach-house) a few hundred feet north of the main building. The Hunting Lodge is a two storey 7,500 square feet house with servant's quarters. As soon as the stable complex was completed, sir Henry sold his summer house in Scarborough to his son and moved to the Hunting Lodge. The stables were used as a construction site for the castle (also served as the quarters for the men servants), with some of the machinery still remaining in the rooms under the stables. The house cost approximately $3.5 million and took a team of 300 workers three years to build from start to finish. Unfortunately, due to the start of World War 1, the castles construction was halted, thus never finishing the job. At 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in Canada. Notable amenities included an elevator, an oven large enough to cook an ox, two vertical passages for pipe organs, central vacuum, two secret passages in Sir Henry's ground-floor office and three bowling alleys (never completed).

Most of the third floor was left unfinished, and today serve as the Regimental Museum for The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Pellatt joined the Regiment as a Rifleman and rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the Commanding Officer. He was knighted for his dedication to the Regiment. Later, Pellatt served as the Honorary Colonel and was promoted to Major-General upon retirement.

During the Depression, Toronto increased Casa Loma's annual property taxes from $400 to $1,200, and Pellatt—already experiencing financial difficulties—was forced to auction off $1.5-million in art and furnishings for only $250,000 during bankruptcy hearings. Sir Henry was able to enjoy life in the castle for less then ten years, leaving in 1923. It was later operated for a short time as a luxury hotel. During the late 1920s Casa Loma was also a popular nightspot. The Orange Blossoms, later known as Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, played there for eight months in 1927–1928. Shortly thereafter, they went on tour of North America and became a major swing era dance band.

The city seized Casa Loma in 1933 for $27,303 in back taxes.

During this time, children often broke into the castle and played games such as hide and seek. It was also used as a shelter for homeless people.

The castle was extremely run down and the city was motioning for the castle to be demolished. In 1937 however, it was leased by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto (currently known as the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma) for $1 and a promise to restore the castle to its former condition. (Construction is still ongoing today.)

Contrary to popular belief, Casa Loma has never been an official residence of either the city or the Province of Ontario. In 1937 it was opened to the public for the first time as a tourist attraction operated by the Kiwanis Club of Toronto. Coincidentally, this is the same year that Chorley Park, the Government House of Ontario was closed by the provincial government.

During World War II, Casa Loma was used to conceal research on sonar, and for construction of sonar devices for U-boat detection. The chateau is still operated by the Kiwanis Club. Today it is one of Toronto's most popular tourist attractions.

[edit] Layout

Casa Loma has five acres of gardens. An underground tunnel connects Casa Loma to the Hunting Lodge and to The Stables (Garage, Potting Shed, Stalls, Carriage Room and Tack Rooms).

[edit] Main floor

Intended as Sir Henry's drawing room, the French oak panels took artisans three years to carve.

Sir Henry aspired to have members of the Royal Family stay in the Guest Suite.

• Great Hall
• Library
• Dining Room

The Conservatory showcases plants and, at one end, this fountain.

• The Conservatory
• Serving Room
• Peacock Alley
• Sir Henry's Study
• Smoking Room
• Billiards Room
• Oak Room

[edit] Second floor

• Sir Henry's Suite
• Sir Henry's Bathroom

Lady Pellatt's Suite.

• Lady Pellatt's Suite
• Lady Pellatt's Bathroom
• Girl Guides Exhibit
• Guest Suite
• Windsor Room

The Round Room is designed to fit beneath the castle's tower. This room is notable for its doors and windows, which curve to follow the shape of the room.

• Round Room

[edit] Third floor

• The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum
• Stairs to Towers
• The Kiwanis Room
• The Garden Room
• Servant's Room
• The Austin Room

[edit] Basement

• Gift Shop (Bowling lanes and shooting range - never completed)
• Castle Café (Gymnasium - never completed)
• Swimming Pool (Never completed)
• Wine Cellar
• Tunnel to Hunting Lodge and Stables

[edit] Stables

• Garage
• Potting Shed
• Stalls
• Carriage Room
• Tack Rooms
• Hunting Lodge

[edit] Appointments

Sir Henry imported artisans from Europe to design much of the furniture and other features of the castle, a few of which can be seen in the images below.

[edit] Location

Casa Loma is on Austin Terrace, at the north end of Spadina Road on an escarpment (Davenport Hill) above Davenport Road. Davenport runs along the bottom of the escarpment which was the shoreline of Lake Iroquois, the predecessor of Lake Ontario (coordinates 43°40′41″N 79°24′33″W / 43.678°N 79.4093°W / 43.678; -79.4093). Casa Loma affords views down the escarpment and Spadina Avenue into the heart of Toronto. Stables located at 330 Walmer road and Hunting Lodge at 328 Walmer road.

[edit] Casa Loma in popular culture

Due to its unique architectural character in Toronto, Casa Loma has been a popular location for movies and TV. For example, it has served as a location for movies such as X-Men, Strange Brew, Chicago, The Tuxedo, and The Pacifier. Comic books and children's novels that have used it include the Scott Pilgrim series and Eric Wilson's murder mystery, The Lost Treasure of Casa Loma. It was also temporarily transformed into "Hogwarts" for the release of the 7th Harry Potter book. In the CBC Television show Being Erica, the episode "Mi Casa, Su Casa Loma" features Casa Loma prominently as the place where main character Erica Strange works. ^[2]

[edit] Girl Guiding at Casa Loma

Lady Pellatt frequently invited the Girl Guides to her home. Their first visit was in 1913 when 250 girls and their leaders toured the conservatories, the stables, climbed the circular staircase to the top turret and then were served tea in the Palm Room. In March 1914, Lady Pellatt watched the Guides annual fête from her bedroom window as she was too ill to leave her room. ^[3] Rallies became an annual event at the house. Guides also skated on the house's curling rink in winter.

[edit] Image gallery

[edit] See also

• Spadina House

[edit] References

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