The "Rainwater House" was given to C.H. Butler as a wedding gift on January 26, 1894 by his parents, George and Marion Butler, a couple well-to-do in business in Childersburg. The elder Butlers had bought the land from Minor and Sara Cliett in 1864.

Research makes in unclear when the house was placed on the land. Impressions of several people interviewed have indicated that the house could be older than 1894, perhaps the 70's.

On January 27,1993 (exactly ninety-nine years and one day after the wedding gift) the City of Childersburg bought the house from Mrs. Rainwater, through her power of attorney and granddaughter, Jan Cleveland Howard. Their plan was for the Childersburg Historic Commission to develop it into a House-Museum and a museum of artifacts representing Childersburg's long history.