The Wilderness started out as a 1.5 story stone home built by John Russell. He sold the house and approximately 100 acres of property to a gentleman by the name of Buchanan in 1826, and it remained in the Buchanan-Dugan Family until 1947. Bequeathed to Henrietta Buchanan-Dugan in 1875, she and her husband Cumberland enlarged it to a 2-story 5 bedroom home in 1877. With their family growing, they again enlarged the house in 1899 to it's present size of 22 rooms (14 bedrooms). The Wilderness was the Dugan Family's summer home - although it was a working farm, and had caretakers present year round. It was placed on The National Register of Historic Places in1985. Serious restoration on the home was undertaken in 2002, and the majority of the rooms have been returned to their country manor atmosphere. Restoration work continues on the 2nd floor and the exterior of the house.