The Laurance Corley House is the oldest building on the grounds of the museum having been built about 1771.

It was originally near where 12-Mile Creek crosses US1 but was moved to higher ground soon after. The house is constructed of logs with vertical siding inside. The house never featured chinking or mud daubing. The original windows were small openings on either side of the chimney. These windows were small due to the dangers associated with bandits and wildlife such as bears. Corley married twice, having 8 children with each wife. In the 1790 census, 8 whites and 1 enslaved person lived in the Corley House.