Architect William W. Boyington's design for the building was influenced by a number of Victorian styles, particularly the Richardsonian Romanesque.

The building was ultimately moved to Central Park and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The building soon became a focal point of Decatur, as nearly every streetcar traveler in the city needed to stop there to transfer.

[2] After the streetcar and interurban systems ceased operations in the 1950s, the Transfer House was reduced to a bus terminal and lost most of its passenger volume.

The two-story building has an octagonal plan, a design which gave it more interior space without jutting too far into the surrounding streets.