The original house was constructed around 1720 following Governor Moore of Carolina’s burning of St Augustine. It consisted of a one story rectangular building with thick lime plastered coquina walls and large glassless openings. By 1727 a Spanish artilleryman stationed at the Castillo de San Marcos, Tomás González y Hernández lived in the house. When Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain following the Seven Years War, the house sat vacant until 1773 when a wealthy British soldier, sergeant Major Peavett bought the house and set upon constructing a series of additions such as a wooden second story and new glazed glass windows. In 1784 Spain regained St Augustine. In 1786 Peavett died and his wife auctioned off the house to a recent arrival from Spain, Geronimo Alvarez. Alvarez then set upon another series of constructions. Built entirely from coquina, he added a two story tier containing various rooms to the north side of the house. On the East end he added a one story coquina addition and a framed porch. The new rooms included a chapel, three bedrooms, a loggia, and a pantry. His descendants would live in the house for almost 100 years. In 1821 Florida was ceded to the United States of America through the Adams-Otis Treaty in exchange for absolving Spain of 5 million in debt. The house was taken over by the St Augustine historical society in 1918 and in the 1960s undertook a restoration which reversed numerous previous additions.