It is constructed of adobe brick over cottonwood timbers taken from the banks of the Los Angeles River. The walls are almost three feet thick. The floor, originally packed earth, is planked. The building was severely damaged in the earthquakes of 1870, 1857, and 1971 but has been restored.
The building was abandoned by Senora Avila during the American occupation of Los Angeles in 1847. Commodore Robert Stockton, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, used the structure as his headquarters for a brief time during the Mexican-American War. After his departure Senora Avilla returned to her home, where she lived until her death in 1855.
It was rescued from condemnation and deterioration in the late 1920s through the efforts of Mrs. Christine Sterling and the Avila family. It is now part of El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historic Park; it is located at 10 Olvera Street.