After the 1857 Fire, many generations of immigrants made this modest structure their family home. New tenants added their own touches by redecorating or expanding it to suit their needs, sometimes saving money by using salvaged materials from other Columbia buildings in their remodeling. The stories and personal experiences of the Biddle, Bacom, Morgan, Hale, Vassallo, Sarton, and Martinez families in this home helped define the history of the town. Their stories and dreams still remain in the house’s architecture, wallpaper, and additions, and today the house remains one of the oldest structures standing in Columbia.