Spadina Museum, Toronto

My last day in downtown Toronto.  Huda & Sarah had organized free tickets to the museum for me... so I'd better use it before I leave.  I also have to get my Amtrak train ticket to New York - I booked it online, however, I still have to go to the counter at the train station to obtain the actual ticket... so much for the 'E'-world....and I need a book to read for my long journey...

I get to the train station, and the Amtrak counter is only open until 1.00 p.m. - I get there at 12.00pm and the counter is closed.... I ask at Information .... and was informed that the staff is probably on a break!  Unbelievable!!!!!!!  Finally after me trying to stay calm and collected for the next 1/2 hour, the staff finally returns.. .and only for some people to jump the queue in front of me.... I decided NOT to have a go, but to be nice.....  Anyway, long story short, I got my ticket, but was told that there was no seat allocation, first come first served... great - NOT!!!!  I think I prefer the Canadian trains - seat allocation, good service, wifi..... none of the above with the American trains..... is it already 'Welcome back to America' time???? Oh dear....

Anyhow, this was my last walk through town all the way to the Spadina House and Casa Loma, with a lunch stop at Chinatown and a second hand bookstore... my list is now ticked off!

Casa Loma (Spanish for Hill House) is a Gothic Revival style house in midtown Toronto, that is now a museum and landmark. It was originally a residence for financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Casa Loma was constructed by a team of 300 workers over a three-year period from 1911–1914. The house cost approximately $3.5 million. At 98 rooms, it was the largest private residence in Canada. 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).

I only looked at the outside grounds of the property, as I had the free tickets for the Spadina House!  I know, cheapskate.....

Apparently this block of land (Casa Loma) used to be a golf course - and considered a long way out of town...

Spadina Museum, also called Spadina , is a historic manor on Spadina Road in Toronto, that is now a museum. The museum preserves the house much as it existed and developed historically. The art, decor and architecture of the house used to reflect the contemporary styles of the 1860s through the 1930s. Presently it shows the inter-war era style of the 1920s and 1930s. The estate's gardens reflect the landscape during the Austin family's occupation of the house.  The rooms contain furniture purchased by the family, much of it made in Toronto.  The influence of new technologies such as gas lighting, central heating, electricity and the telephone can be seen here. The life of the domestic staff is represented in the working kitchen and pantries.

In 1866, the property was purchased by businessman and financier James Austin, founder of the Dominion Bank and president of Consumers Gas. At that time, the home was located in an area that was starting to become "Millionaires Row." The Austins and their children used their 80 acres for farming until James, and later his son Albert, subdivided and sold most of the land. The remaining 5.7 acres include an orchard, a grape arbour and a kitchen garden, along with the more formal areas of lawn and display beds.

The last living resident of the house, Anna Kathleen Thompson, a daughter of Albert Austin, negotiated the transfer of the house, furnishings and remaining acreage to the City of Toronto and the province of Ontario in 1978.

I absolutely loved this place.  I was lucky, I just arrived in time for a guided tour!  My first question: Am I allowed to take photos?  well....I am writing a blog...

The way the rooms were decorated and furnished - fabulous!  Bright colours and lots of them.... and lots of furniture and lots of big rooms - I want to move in!!!  The lady of the house loved reds and greens.... they had gas lights and heating in the house...

The interesting bit was, the way they used to treat their domestic servants.  They were supposed to be invisible... quite amazing.  EG: There were rods with a curtain, hiding the door to the kitchen in the dining room  The purpose: so when the servants come into the dining room and put the food on the side table, they are not seen doing so.  There was also a floor trap door in the winter garden, this was for the gardener, so he could enter the room and look after the plants,without having to enter the house and be seen....  I find these fascinating facts!!  quite amazing that the servants were good enough to do all the work, but were not supposed to be seen at all.  Wow....sub humans....

This was quite a journey down history lane, very very interesting.

S & D