It was one of a number of buildings located on the 300 acre farm given to Paine by the State of New York in 1784, in recognition of his services in the cause of Independence.

[5] The current arrangement has rooms decorated in the late 18th and early 19th century style as well as exhibits pertaining to the history of New Rochelle, the local Siwanoy Indians, and the Huguenots.

[8] A 2009 restoration project at the Cottage has enabled the site to more accurately relate the story of the building once owned by one of the leading figures in America's fight for Independence.

The stewards of the Cottage, members of the Huguenot and New Rochelle Historical Association, were able to raise funds to complete critically needed repairs on the 200+ year old building.

In the process, the group also recognized the need to return the building to its original integrity, to the extent documented in archival photographs and by physical evidence.

This farm in turn was a part of the original purchase of four hundred acres of land, made in 1690, by Andre Thauvet, one of the first Huguenot settlers of New Rochelle.

Thauvet deeded two hundred and seventy-six acres to Captain Oliver Besley, another Huguenot, then a Justice of the Peace and at one time the commanding officer of the local company of militia.

[12] His active participation against the patriot cause, both in civil and military affairs, brought upon him a conviction for treason against the State of New York which resulted in the confiscation of his property.

320 acres (130 ha) including the farm were presented to Paine in 1784 by act of the New York State Legislature[3] for his service.

He made no pretensions of being a farmer, and his letters clearly show that writing was his chief occupation and farm operations were of secondary importance.

He described the farm in a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1804: It is a pleasant and healthy situation commanding a prospect always green and peaceable as New Rochelle produces a great deal of grass and hay.

The owner, Charles W. Seer, generously gifted it to the New Rochelle Huguenot Association who in turn approved the purchase of the park in which the cottage now stands, which was a portion of the Paine farm.

The place where I am to be buried to be a square of twelve feet, to be enclosed with Rows of Trees, and a Stone or Post & rail fence, with a headstone with my name and age engraved upon it, Author of 'Common Sense'.The site chosen for the grave was in the northwest corner of the field immediately south of the old Davoue Farm lane near the intersection with North Avenue.

Dr. Moncure D. Conway claimed to have recovered a portion of Paine's brain around 1905; it was subsequently buried under the monument on October 14, 1905.

[3] In 2005, the association controversially sold off a significant portion of its holdings (including a first edition of Common Sense) to pay for repairs to the museum building.

[3] Vale's fellow American radical and Workingman, the sculptor and architect John Frazee, created the marble monument itself.