Atop a hill in a Toronto residential area stands a stolid, stone anachronism, Casa Loma. A mixture of 17th Century Scotch baronial and 20th Century-Fox, the castle rears its turrets as a memento to one Canadian's short-lived dream of glory. Starting in 1911, financier Sir Henry Pellatt poured an estimated $3,000,000 into the old-world battlements, wine cellars, secret stairways and tunnels; into the new-world trimmings, tiled swimming pool, modern plumbing (solid gold & silver fixtures), bowling alley, shooting galleries. Before Casa Loma's 100 rooms were completely finished or furnished, Sir Henry found the upkeep too expensive, quit.
Attempts to make it a...