Originally built in 1855 as a one-story dog-trot structure, this house was purchased in 1873 by John Sterling and Claytonia Smith. Their son, John Sterling Smith, Jr., a community leader, businessman, and cotton farmer, had the home remodeled to its current Queen Anne style appearance in 1910. It is the last remaining house of its style in Chappell Hill. Its features include an octagonal tower, second floor gables and dormers, and a curvilinear porch.