Tucked in the woods of Warren County is a grand home that once housed socialites, then nuns.
The popularity of "Downton Abbey" has spurred an interest in early 1900s lifestyles. Locally, you can still get a feel for that aristocratic way of living at Rutherfurd Hall in Warren County.
Rich in history and diverse in use, Rutherfurd Hall in Allamuchy Township is an 18,000-square-foot Tudor-style home that was once the summer cottage of Winthrop Rutherfurd and his family.
Rutherfurd was a direct descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch director-general of New Netherland before it became New York. He married his first wife and the mother of his six children, Alice Morton, in 1902. Fifteen years later, Alice died.
In 1920, he married Lucy Mercer, who at the time was the governess for his six children. Together they had a child. (Rutherfurd's oldest son by Alice Morton died of pneumonia before he married Mercer.)
A tour of the property and grounds evokes thought of earlier times where the Rutherfurd children would play, hunt, ride horses and enjoy water sports.
But it is the time period in between, from 1950 to 2007, that many locals remember, when an order of nuns from Long Island, N.Y. -- the Daughters of Divine Charity -- occupied the property.
Since then, ongoing work has restored the property into a beautiful and decorative facility that serves as a cultural center and a really cool space.
Currently owned and managed by the Allamuchy Township Board of Education, it serves as a museum and much more. The lower grades of Mountain Villa School hold class in a building attached to the side of the structure (which was once an infirmary for the nuns).
But while the looks have changed slightly from its 1900s appearances and greatly from its use as a home for retired and aging nuns, it is true to its history.
Cool Spaces: Nation's oldest druggist
Restoration has been a labor of love and respect for its original purposes.
Hardwood floors have been refurbished, wall sconces polished, woodwork sanded and fireplaces (there are 16) have been cleaned and restored, with most of the focus on the lower floor.
The library tells the complex history of the Rutherfurd family, whose descendants remain active in the ongoing restoration projects.
As a cultural and community center, locals can attend a variety of lectures, art classes for kids and adults and jazz concerts. Weddings are also held inside and on the lawn areas, which overlook picturesque Allamuchy Pond.
Upcoming events include Adult Wine and Paint Night, March 10; Kids Paint Night, March 16; Warren Wolf Quartet, March 20; and Tea and Talk with Collections Manager Joan Salvas, March 23.
The building is available for tours as well. A full schedule of events, prices and ticket information can be found on its website.
Do you know of any cool spaces that you'd like to share? Let us know by leaving a comment below or email me at kjfrantz@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow lehighvalleylive.com on Twitter at @lehighvalley. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.