After the war began, Curtis and two other men organized the first volunteer Union regiment from Massac County.

The house's builder, Joseph P. Farrell, was a local artisan renowned for the quality of his work.

[2][3][4] The Curtis House is a two-story brick building designed in the Classical Revival style.

The portico is supported by octagonal columns, features a porch with a balustrade on both stories and is topped by a triangular pediment.

The house's interior has a symmetrical plan with two main rooms on each floor and a central foyer and staircase.