William McClelland purchased property in what today is part of North Beaver Township in 1807 and operated it successfully; by the time that he sold it to his son Joseph in 1848,[2]: 8  he had become a prosperous farmer.

Three of these buildings — the house, the barn, and the machinery shed — contribute to the historic nature of the farm, while the remaining structures are unoriginal or have been heavily modified.

A two-story farmhouse erected in the 1840s, it is primarily a Federal structure;[2]: 3  its foundation is stone,[2]: 2  the walls are brick, topped with corbelling and rising to gables,[2]: 5  and the roof is covered with slates.

[2]: 3  A similar situation exists in northern Beaver County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) away,[5] where the James Beach Clow House is the only farmhouse in its township to have survived without extensive modifications.

Two related and significant modifications have been made to the barn: part of the western end was removed after was badly damaged in a storm, and a concrete block milkhouse was built in its place in the 1960s.

Crucial to this designation were elements such as the Palladian window of the house and the original framing of the outbuildings;[2]: 3, 6  although all three buildings have been modified since their construction, they remain in a condition close to that of their early years and have thus been seen as worthy of historic preservation.