In the early 1900s, nestled along the slopes of Mount Royal in Montreal,

sat a distinguished neighborhood known as the Golden Square Mile.

Here, Canada's wealthiest families lived insulated from the bustling industrial reality of Montreal below.

This was not just an affluent community.

It was the epicenter of power, privilege, and

influence. According to Luke Rinaldi and Courtney Shea in their Reader's Digest article,

Canada's most riveting unsolved mysteries, 70% of Canada's wealth at the time rested in the hands of these select families.

This was a place of wealth and of grand parties.

The residents of the square mile shaped Montreal not only through their immense wealth,

but also through their cultural patronage.

Mansions of limestone and brick stood as testaments to the city's growing prosperity.

Yet these homes were not mere residences.

They were carefully designed symbols of social standing.

The Redpath Mansion at 1065 Sherbrook Street was a prime example.

A sturdy, opulent home constructed from local gray limestone, indicative of the Redpath family's enduring stability and legacy.

Originally built in 1870 for the Redpath family by architect John James Brown, the mansion

featured the classical grandeur of the era,

an elegant stone facade, dormer windows, and a drive leading visitors ceremoniously to its

grand entrance. Inside, every detail reinforced social order and propriety. The home's interior was crafted to reflect strict

Victorian sensibilities. Guests entered through a formal vestibule into reception rooms,

designed specifically to entertain visitors. According to Anne-Marie Adams and colleagues,

in their paper, she must not stir out of a darkened room.

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