 The house was built in 1845 by Eli Whitney II to house skilled workers at a pistol factory he had established nearby (on a site now flooded by Lake Whitney).The house was built as a single-pile three-bay structure, with a single-story ell to the side, which was later (before 1860) raised to match the main block in height.The house was eventually sold to one of its tenants, and was moved in 1940 to accommodate road work (but retaining its orientation to the roadway).