This building has witnessed many changes through the years. Documents reveal that Ma Parker had her tavern on or near this location by the time of canal construction. Artifacts uncovered here also suggest this was a pre-canal tavern. The original building was the southern half of the structure. By 1841, Moses Gleason bought the property and sold it to his son. Isaac Gleason added the southern part of the building, turning it into a store serving travelers waiting at Lock 38. The Gleason family continued to live here until the early 1900s. After that, the building became a residence and later housed a blacksmith shop. As the building wore down, it became a multi-resident structure.

The National Park Service purchased the property and began historic reconstruction in the early 1990s. In 1996 it opened as Canal Visitor Center. Today it operates as Canal Exploration Center, where visitors can explore Ohio & Erie Canal history through hands-on exhibits.