This house was built about 1860 of local sandstone for William Morris Stewart, who lived here until 1862. He sold it to the territorial governor of Nevada, James W . Nye. The two men served as Nevada's first United States Senators after the territory achieved statehood, Stewart serving from 1864 to 1875 and again from 1887 to 1905. Nye served from 1864 to 1873. Both men were originally New Yorkers.

Subsequently the house became the home of Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court, George F. Talbot. In 1917 he sold the house and block to the Roman Catholic Bishop. Since that time it has served as the rectory for the Roman Catholic Church, St. Teresa of Avila, located across King Street.