William Heath Davis was the first person to attempt to build what is today known as downtown San Diego. It was 1850 when he decided to buy a shipment of eight east coast "saltbox" style homes and have them shipped around Cape Horn to San Diego Bay. Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Horton arrived in San Diego in 1867 hoping to pick up the pieces of the failures of Mr. Davis. Horton and his wife moved into the house while awaiting the building of their mansion. Entering into the real estate business, Mr. Horton orchestrated the first real estate "boom" that took place in San Diego, California.

This historic home is considered the oldest structure in downtown San Diego that was built in 1850. Davis was one of the founders of what later became the downtown area. Mr. Davis never lived in this house he built.

It is the home of the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation and renamed to the Gaslamp Museum and open for tours. Strange incidents like apparitions of a Victorian woman at the stair landing, old style gas lamps suddenly lighting up and unexplained lighting issues have been reported by employees.