The granite used for this house most likely came from a local source, described in an 1890 newspaper story as "unrivaled James River Granite" (Richmond Dispatch, 1 January 1890: 1).

When purchased by the university, $22,000 was appropriated by the General Assembly, $8,000 was paid out of the governor's discretionary fund and $1,750 contributed by the RPI Endowment Fund.