|
|
|
Casa
Loma |
Designed by architect
E.J. Lennox, Casa Loma was built between 1911 and 1914 for wealthy Toronto financier and
industrialist Sir Henry Pellatt. Pellatt was born at Kingston in 1859, and by the age of
23 was a full partner in his father's Toronto stock brokerage firm, Pellatt and Pellatt.
In 1883 he showed himself to be a business visionary when he founded the Toronto Electric
Light Company, which soon had a monopoly on the supply of street lighting to the city.
Despite discouragement from his friends, he bought up stock in the Canadian Pacific
Railway and the North West Land Company, which yielded huge returns as people began
streaming to western Canada to take up free homestead grants. By 1901 Pellatt's business
interests included mining, insurance, land and electricity. In 1902 he was knighted for
his service with the Queen's Own Rifles, the militia being another of his passions. After
Casa Loma's completion in 1914, Sir Henry and his wife spent a great deal of time and
money filling their home with expensive artwork and furnishings well suited to the
spectacular castle and to the Pellatt's social standing in the community. Unfortunately
Pellatt's midas touch in business did not last and his company began to go further and
further into debt to keep Casa Loma running. His monopoly on electricity ended when the
government made it a public utility. By the end of the first World War, facing an
insurmountable debt, Pellat was forced to sell Casa Loma. In the 1920's it operated for a
short time as a hotel. In 1937 the Kiwanis Club took over the building and opened it as a
tourist attraction, which it has remained to this day. See the "History Links"
page to visit Casa Loma's website.
  |
|
|
