The building served as a combination store/tavern/rooming house and post office, with Whitney as the first postmaster.

This cream brick, Italianate-style hotel's third floor ballroom was heated by six wood-burning stoves.

During the 1880s, The Whitney hosted traveling health practitioners whose expertise ranged from "delivering a 40-foot long tape worm" to a local couple to curing piles.

In the 1950s, the building fell into disrepair and as a result of its continued decline, faced demolition in 1990.

[4][5][6] Today, the Whitney provides affordable housing for eight households and 1,570 square feet of downtown retail space for local businesses[7]