Pump House Dam ~ APT Traditional Cache

The Pump House Dam cache is located along the Allamuchy Pond Trail which is located along the grounds of Rutherfurd Hall, one of the last extant large country estates in New Jersey.

Rutherfurd Hall was conceived as a remote country estate at the turn of the century where the Rutherfurds and their friends could go to retreat and relax. Given its remote location, it was necessary to incorporate elements of self sufficiency. Many other elements were added for the entertainment of family and friends.

Hydroelectricity and Pump House The methods for using sustainable power at Rutherfurd Hall were innovative and remarkable for the time. All the power for the estate was generated from a hydroelectric dam at the base of Allamuchy Pond. Allamuchy Pond is an ancient water body, present as long as 10,000 years ago after the last ice age. The dam increased its size to 20 acres.

This sustainable source of hydroelectric power was used to support many conveniences at Rutherfurd Hall using a 2-generator power system. It was used to operate a radiant heating system as well as lighting for the house. In the summer, a convection cooling system brought fresh air in from the house’s lower levels. Below the dam, a pump house/hydroelectric facility was located. Using the power from the dam, water was pumped across the front field, then across the road and up the hill to the west to a large cistern. This cistern then provided a steady source of water pressure to all three floors of the house.

The Rutherfurd - Stuyvesant geocache series give an in depth history of this important and distinguished american family and the gilded age in NJ. There are two locations showcased in the geotrail. The Stuyvesant Mansion and Rutherfurd Mansion located within Tranquility Farms massive estate was divided by the construction on interstate 80.