The mansion was the residence of Billy Chollar, superintendent of the Chollar Mine and one of the original prospectors who claimed the mine in 1859. Although he sold out early in the history of the mine, most likely before the mansion was erected, the operation kept his name. Initially built adjacent to the mine shaft, the two-story brick structure was moved a quarter mile to the north in 1870 when the sides of the shaft proved unstable, threatening the house. Since then, the mansion has stood on a lot below the Fourth Ward School, set into the hillside so the D Street entrance is at the second level. The plain brick building has wood Italianate details combined with classical elements, a wood veranda, a denticulated cornice, brackets, and a low hipped roof.