The Glass House is best understood as a pavilion from which to gaze out over the surrounding environment. The home is hidden from the road and situated on a ledge overlooking a pond with views of the forests beyond. The home is 55 feet long by 33 feet broad and has a total area of 1,815 square feet. The footprint of the home is large enough to drive a truck through any remaining walls. It was built in 1854 for Henry Wells by a team of skilled craftsmen. At that time, glass was made from melted sand and cullet (old bottles and other containers), which were processed into thin sheets with a blowpipe machine. The Glass House was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, one of America's first architects, who also designed many buildings at the Smithsonian Institution. It is one of only two homes he completed in his lifetime; the other is now a museum. Latrobe was inspired by the villas he saw during a trip to England and hired a French artist to paint pictures of European gardens for him to use as designs. The painter traveled around France for several months making drawings of gardens there and returned with photographs that served as guides for Latrobe when he came up with his own plans for the American version. The result is a beautiful home with an elegant design that fits perfectly with its setting. The Glass House is not open to the public but it can be seen with special permission from the owners.