Otway Bird Nance (1805 - 1874) brought his family here from Kentucky in 1851 and bought this land through the Peters Colony in 1856. Begun in the 1850s, this residence was later enlarged and Victorian detailing added. It originally faced north but was rotated in the early 1900s to face east. Near the farmhouse, a barn, curing shed, and an elevated water tank have been preserved. The Nance family owned this site until 1951. It was purchased by the city of De Soto in 1975. RTHL 1976