The house was built for industrialist William Sprague II circa 1830 as the centerpiece of his country estate, Natick Farm.

[2] Sprague was owner of the Cranston Print Works, and had begun developing his interests at the Natick Mills beginning in 1821.

He lived there until he moved to Providence in 1898, maintaining the house as his country residence and developing the property as a gentleman's farm.

[4] Webster Knight then converted the house at Natick Farm back into his full-time residence.

In 1964 Knight gave the property to the state to be used as the campus of the Community College of Rhode Island.

[6] Six years after Liston moved in, the house and its grounds were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Built circa 1830, the main house represents a transitional moment between the Federal and Greek Revival styles.

Other architectural elements, including the Doric main portico and much interior detailing, are more typical of the Greek Revival style.

These included the extension of the real ell for a large dining room, modernization of the interior and the addition of flanking porches.

At the time of the property's listing on the National Register, an unusual wooden water tower stood at the southwest corner of the yard,[5] but this has since collapsed.