The house owned by the Shelton Historical Society is not the oldest in the city nor is it the fanciest. The house is a two story, three bay structure that incorporates stylistic elements of Greek Revival architecture. Past records date the construction of the house as early as 1720 or 1769.  An architectural assessment conducted by the Shelton Historical Society in 2002 determined that the house was built between 1820 and 1825.

Little information exists today concerning the early period in the history of the house. Hezekiah Marks, for whom the house was built, was a respected member of the community and served a a Justice of the Peace and representative to the General Assembly. His widow and children sold the property to the Bennett family in 1835. They held it until 1866.

The Brownson family purchased the house in 1866 from the Bennett's.  In 1904, Harry Brownson married Gertrude Buckingham and they celebrated over sixty-two years of marriage and were the last of the family who lived in the house for over one hundred years.

In 1971 the Shelton Historical Society acquired the Brownson House for $1.00 from the Derby Savings Bank under the condition that it be removed from its location at the corner of Old Shelton Road and Shelton Avenue. The house was moved approximately one mile to the corner of Ripton Road and Cloverdale Avenue where it is now part of the Shelton History Center.