The house was originally designed in 1857 by Seth Babson and was purchased by Leland Stanford in 1861. It served as the state executive office from 1861 to 1867, before the completion of the State Capitol. It was later extensively remodeled and enlarged. In 1900 Jane Lathrop Stanford gave the house to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento to create the Stanford-Lathrop Memorial Home for Friendless Children.

Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation