William K. Vanderbilt died in 1920 and bequeathed Idle Hour to his son Harold S. Most of the unique furniture was sold at auction in the late 1920s.

Before becoming a college, the mansion survived an unusual variety of owners after William K., from hoteliers and real estate developers to metaphysicians and dairy scientists. Several attempts of converting the estate into a hotel or country club failed due to mismanagement or the depressed economy. The estate was owned in the 1920s by Edmund G. & Charles F. Burke, Inc., who began developing Idle Hour into a residential community with the help of E.A. White Organization, exclusive selling agents. They promoted Idle Hour claiming: "Here are to be found ideal living conditions, good clean air, trees, sunshine and water." The recession crushed this project.

It is said that Dutch Schultz, the infamous gangster and bootlegger during the Prohibition, leased the mansion and hid there in 1934. The mansion was transformed into Peace Haven in 1938, headquarters of the Royal Fraternity of Master Metaphysicians. This spiritual cult attempted to immortalize an infant girl, Baby Jean, who was fed special food and treated like a god. The estate was a country club retreat for the spiritually enlightened. A pool was installed behind the tennis courts. Visitors included socialites such as Cartier.

In 1947, The National Dairy Research Labs, Inc. purchased the mansion and carriage house and the remaining 23 acres of the original tract. The mansion served as office and laboratory space until they relocated to Illinois around 1960. National Dairy converted the magnificent tennis court area into experimental laboratory and refrigerator wing, leaving the rest of the structure mostly unchanged.

In January 1963, Adelphi University purchased the mansion and the carriage house for its branch campus, Adelphi Suffolk College. With a generous contribution from city planner, philanthropist, financier and patron of the arts, Robert W. Dowling, the College became independent in 1968 and was renamed in his honor. The College continued to grow steadily, both in enrollment and scholastic standing.

In March 1974, the fireproof mansion was devastated by a fierce blaze. Many distinguishing characteristics of the mansion were destroyed including the pastoral harvest frieze in the dining room (now Hunt Room), the ornate smoking room (now Room 110), the living hall's (now Ballroom) unique pendentive ceiling and English oak walls, the entrance and the grand staircase, and the velvet and tapestry wall coverings throughout.

Through the efforts of the Restoration Committee, headed by Alan Fortunoff, the mansion was restored. Interior sections were rebuilt to accommodate the functioning of an academic institution, rather than a millionaire'scountry retreat. Central air conditioning and a side entrance (to the Racanelli Center) were installed. The woodwork in the Hunt Room and the Ballroom was polished and treated. A new entrance hall and staircase were built. Chandeliers were hung, and the library (Study) and Queen Anne Salon (Gold Room) were restored.

In spring of 1978, the mansion was dedicated as Max and Clara Fortunoff Hall in honor of Mr. Alan Fortunoff's parents. During this period, the heating system boilers within the palm court were moved to the basement. For a time, this magnificent room served only as a passageway between Fortunoff Hall and the science wing. The College Restoration Committee was revived to coordinate the restoration of this area. In 1985, a renovation was completed and the palm court was renamed the Marjorie Fortunoff Mayrock Conserva-tory to honor the benefactors of the project. The sun lit room is now used as a reception center, concert hall and meeting site for students, staff and visitors.

Restoration of the mansion may never cease. Statuary items have been located in neighboring towns and returned to Idle Hour. The Restoration Committee for W.K. Vanderbilt's Idle Hour continues to maintain archives and share knowledge, restore unique features, and return original furnishings to the mansion. Even though some ornate features of the home have been lost with time, the mansion shines with opulence and elegance. The ancient Italian lions still guard the entrance and Poseidon protects the front court.

Though the organ no longer plays in Idle Hour, this magnificent mansion's walls sing a unique perspective of the way things were, are and continue to be...