Historical Significance:

The house was built by the Potter brothers just before they were married.  It was on their 160 acre farm, which is now most of downtown Kewanee.  It was the only structure until 1854.  Railroad fever brought businessmen from Wethersfield, three miles south, and the Potters finally gave up and moved out south of Wethersfield.  Then it served as a boarding house, and later as a "flop house" for immigrants from Europe coming to work in Kewanee's factories.  It was in terrible condition by 1904, when the Kewanee Masons donated the building to the DAR.  It was moved to its present site and renovated, with a porch and fireplace added at that time.  Furnishings were donated by charter members, and date back to the late 1800's and early 1900's.  City water became available in the 1940's, so they put in plumbing and later built on a room for a bathroom.  They also dug a basement for a furnace.  It is now considered an important tourist site by the city.