William Tinsley, a Missourian, traveled to Montana in 1864 to stake his own homestead claim in Willow Creek, Montana. He and his soon-to-be wife, Lucy Ann Nave, met in Virginia City, Montana, where William worked for the Wells Fargo Stage Company and Lucy worked as a seamstress. After they married, they moved to William's 160 homestead claim in Willow Creek and built a modest one-room cabin in 1867. Eight children and 20 years later, the family began building the house that is now the centerpiece of the Museum of the Rockies Living History Farm. The Tinsley family occupied this house on the original homestead claim until around 1920.