It was the birthplace of artist Benjamin West (1738–1820), who was an influential mentor to a generation of American painters, including Gilbert Stuart and Charles Willson Peale.

[2][1] It presently houses the dispatch and offices for the college's campus police, along with a visitor information center.

The main facade is five bays wide, with a centered entrance sheltered by a gabled portico.

He was one of the first American-born artists to be trained in Italy, and settled in England in 1763, where he embarked on a successful career as a painter, working primarily on commission to King George III.

He is important in the history of American art for his role in supporting the early careers of a number of Americans who achieved great success, including Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, Rembrandt Peale, and Charles Willson Peale, all of whom he supported both financially and logistically in their development.