Built in 1781, it was the home of the American lawyer and politician Oliver Ellsworth until his death in 1807, and was designated a National Historic Landmark because of this association.

The Ellsworth House stands in northern Windsor, on the east side of Palisado Avenue (Connecticut Route 159), near its junction with Macktown Road.

Its main facade is five bays wide, with a two-bay extension to the south that is recessed beneath a shared roofline supported by Tuscan columns.

The interior retains features of the late 19th century, including furnishings and decorative materials associated with Oliver Ellsworth and his family.

Documentary records show that Oliver Ellsworth, having inherited the property, contracted in 1781 for the construction of a new house on the site of the old, which may have reused some of its elements, including the foundation.