Dr. Rufus W. Bailey built the house in 1858 as a wedding gift for his son, but the couple refused to live in it because of its unusual architecture, which caused the locals to give it the nickname "steamboat".

The house is part of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum complex.

Bailey died shortly before Houston, and the house was inherited by his son Frank.

Kittrell died in 1867 as the result of the same yellow fever epidemic that claimed the life of Margaret Lea Houston.

[1] The house had numerous owners, until it was purchased in 1933 by businessman J. E. Josey, who deeded it to the Texas Historical Commission.