Joseph Sartori Sr. came to Cedar Falls in the late 1850's. He was a native of Germany, only 24 years of age, a skilled mason and stone cutter.

Sartori purchased the land for this house from Dempsey Overman and Edwin Brown. He began work in the late 1860's, doing all the masonry himself.

The house is considered a late Gothic Revival, although it shows some Italianate influence. The arches above the windows are made of iron, though such arches were usually made of stone. They fit so closely they resemble wood.

Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls was built in honor of Sartori and his wife, Theresa. Their son, Joseph Jr., a prominent Los Angeles banker, saw to it that his father's bequest of $25,000 was used for construction of the original hospital building in 1915.

Refurbished beginning in 1993, renovations continue. The house is a private residence.