The Stevens House is holds the distinction of being the residence of the first "First Family of Mount Vernon." Its significance to the establishment of the City of Mount Vernon is unquestionable. It stands as a symbol of Mount Vernon's early days as a village. It is a well known landmark that sits imposingly on the corner plot at Sixth Avenue and Fourth Street. The following excerpt is compiled from "The Story of the Stevens House" by Louise Stevens Miller, granddaughter of John Stevens.

When John Stevens brought his family to their recently completed new home in Mount Vernon in 1851 what they saw was the new house, sitting amidst stately elm trees. In back of the house stood the old farmhouse, still standing with barns and outhouses at the rear. Two large cherry trees, an oxcart laden with shining fruit and baskets piled high and running over with more fruit added to the joy of their first homecoming.

The house is a perfect example of the architectural methods used when the colonists built their New England homes. The exterior of the house has changed very little over the years. The great hand-hewn oak timbers of its frame are fastened securely to its heavy stone foundation, and each pair of sturdy roof timbers meeting at the roof's peak is mortised and pinned together with stout wooden pins. That the roof stands straight and true after over one hundred and fifty years of wind and weather seems a strong argument in favor of this form of roof structure.

In 1850 - 1851, time was not of the essence, and much of the work was done by hand. For example, the Doric columns on the front porch are entirely hand-wrought. The carpenter who built them is said to have come by, when an old man, to look at his handiwork. Running his fingers over their smooth surfaces and expressing pride and pleasure in their staunchness, he would say, "they're my babies, yes - they're my babies."