[3] A 2+1⁄2-story structure, it features a hipped roof with a combination of stucco and wood clapboard siding for the exterior walls.

The building possesses a multitude of other prairie-style elements and retains a high degree of architectural integrity.

[4] Joseph Carpenter was a successful businessman, accumulating considerable wealth as a merchant of farm implements and hardware,[5] which made him financially able to hire an architect from Kansas City to design his new home.

[4] As one of the largest homes in Stroud, it reflected Carpenter's importance as a commercial leader in the city.

A factor in the house retaining its architectural integrity is the care given it by Joseph's son and daughter-in-law Paul F. and Ruth (Riley) Carpenter,[6] who resided in the home through 1986 when it was placed on the National Historic Register.