This Colonial Revival home was originally constructed by Charles L. Simons, who came to Auburn in 1850 to try his hand at gold mining but eventually became the owner of a saloon in town. The home was sold in 1901 to Fred Brye, a well-known local butcher, and Brye and his family lived there for 20 years and made significant improvements, including the iron fence that still surrounds the property. In the 1940s, the home was converted into a 12-unit apartment house. The building was restored as a single-family residence in 1969, but only two years later it was converted into a restaurant. The property later became a Christmas store and, most recently, an office building.