The Godfrey Mansion, originally built by Captain Calvin Riley, was situated in an area then referred to as Scarritt’s Prairie. In 1834, Benjamin Godfrey acquired the modest two-room house and embarked on a transformative journey to convert it into a grand mansion. The completed structure boasted 14 rooms, seven fireplaces, limestone sinks, and porches adorned with pillars. The mansion’s walls, constructed from native limestone, were 18 inches thick, and the structural timbers were crafted from locally sourced trees.

After the passing of Benjamin Godfrey in 1862, his second wife Rebecca and their children, Julia and Benjamin, continued to reside in the house for many years. In 1895, the property changed hands, when Patrick Waters bought the home from the Godfrey family. Patrick’s son, William, cultivated the land surrounding the home until his death in 1959.

The Benjamin Godfrey Mansion earned national recognition in 1934 when it was declared a historic site by the Department of the Interior. In 1997, the building was purchased by the Lewis & Clark Community College Foundation, securing its place in the annals of local history.