The original street plan of the city of Raleigh had designated Burke Square as a possible location for the governor's residence.

Burke Square was already occupied by the Raleigh Academy by the time the state decided to build and a different site for the house was chosen.

The legislature passed a bill in 1883 under Governor Jarvis's prompting, to authorize the construction on Burke Square of Raleigh's third official gubernatorial residence.

First Lady Alice Willson Broughton oversaw the addition of a service elevator in the house, and established a victory garden on the lawn during World War II.

During her tenure as first lady, Jeanelle C. Moore began a campaign for public awareness of the mansion's historic and cultural significance.

In 1974–75, under the supervision of First Lady Patricia Hollingsworth Holshouser, the mansion underwent a major renovation which included the plumbing, heating, air conditioning and electrical systems.

In 1988, the Executive Mansion Fund Inc., a non-profit corporation, was created with the help of first lady Dottie Martin in order to provide further support for restoration and preservation.