The house was built in 1891 by William Laizure, a local contractor who came to Silver City in the 1880s. Double brick wall construction, one story with multiple roofs, roof includes hip along with a truncated hip, two gables, molded facia around, two front entrance doors with side lights and transom lights, the doors were covered with hipped hood roofs supported by wooden brackets.

He built a number of residences and downtown business buildings, as well as “Old Main” (the first building on the New Mexico Territorial Normal School campus) and the Gold Avenue Methodist Church in Pinos Altos.

The original house was quite modest in size. Sometime prior to 1902 a front porch was built on the southeast corner of the house.  Although the Laizures remained in Silver City for many years, the house was sold in 1906 to John W. Pennewill.

In 1919 Silver City banker Eben Burnside and his bride purchased the house and hired contractor H. S. Gilbert to do a major remodeling, which enlarged and changed the shape of the house.