An authentic restoration offers visitors a step back in time with silk damask-covered walls, hand painted ceilings, delicately molded plaster friezes, and intricately patterned hand-laid wood parquet floors.

Other features of the home include tiled and marbled fireplaces, stained glass windows, and French gilt chandeliers.

[4] John Augustus Reitz, who amassed a fortune in the lumber business, built the house in 1871 in the French Second Empire style.

Built to express his success, the mansion was decorated with elegant furnishings and detailed architectural features.

[5] The last of Reitz' children died in 1931, and the home was left to the Daughters of Isabella, a non-profit Roman Catholic women's organization.