The building was commissioned while the railroad was under state control and construction of two stories was started in 1861.

[2] The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1971, at its original location of 325 Halifax Street.

At that time, the building was still in use for its original purpose as a railroad company office.

The state of North Carolina purchased the land in 1977 and moved the building to its present location at 413 North Salisbury Street,[3] re-designating it as a Raleigh Historic Landmark in 1990.

[4] Since 2015 the building has served as the headquarters of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.