The three-bay, two-story limestone portion of this house, built a quarter century before Monroe County was formed, is one of the area's oldest. County histories often refer to it as a blockhouse, meaning that it was constructed to withstand Indian attack. The sturdy 18-inch-thick walls are laid in random rubble, and original door and window frames are pegged. The interior was not finished until May 29, 1820, according to a note that William T. Dunn, plasterer, left on the wall. A later (mid-nineteenthcentury) two-bay frame addition carefully follows the established cornice line and roof slope
The builder and his family were prominent landowners and held numerous public offices in the area. Part of the charm of this impressive first-settlement house lies in its setting, a hillside across the road from Indian Creek in a virtually unspoiled stretch of pasture and woodland.