Nathaniel Bassett came to Lee in 1778 with his brother Cornelius. Nathaniel opened the town’s first blacksmith shop and Cornelius became the town's first mason. Nathaniel raised a family of ten children, among them a son, Joseph, who went into the cabinetry business.
The back portion of this house was built in 1823 as a wedding present for Joseph. Three years later, the family built the main (front) section of the house. Joseph Bassett operated his cabinetry shop on the land just east of the house.
Joseph Bassett died in 1873 and the house came into possession of James Watson Bassett, who twice renovated the house and lived there nearly 20 years. Briefly at the end of the century, the house was owned by someone other than a member of the Bassett family. C.E. Hull was a coal and grain dealer who eventually entered in the partnership with David dresser, forming the Dresser-Hull Company, which is still in business today as a fuel and building supply dealer.
In 1900, the house returned to the Bassett family when it was purchased by Charles Hollister, a New York businessman and Joseph Bassett‘s grandson. Hollister made extensive renovations, giving the house the overall style it has today. He added the ell on the east side, the large veranda, the gable trimmed the gable trim, the covered entrance, the circular attic vent, and the renovated interior.
The two and a half story classic revival house features stick-style gable trim over round attic vent windows. The full veranda and porte corchere were built with Lee marble supports, turned wood posts and balusters.
The Hollister family owned and occupied the house until the 1960’s.
Today the property is owned by Robert Trask, who operates 51 Park restaurant & Tavern and Antimony Brewing just North of here in Lenox.