 The house was designed in two sections, the original portion by architect Calvin N. Otis, and the second by Samuel Mandell, architect of the original Wells College Main Building (Dieckman, 1995).Another event in the life of Henry Wells happened in 1850 — he moved with his family from New York City to Aurora to a large house that stood on the east side of Court Street in the middle of what is now Cherry Avenue.This house burned May 18, 1851, and he began planning his new home immediately.