Benjamin Perry first moved to New Hope (then known as Coryell's Ferry) in the early 1780s. After moving to New Hope, he built this Georgian-style, Colonial house constructed out of Bucks County fieldstone for his family in 1784. During his time in New Hope, Parry was a businessman who purchased the local grist mill (now the Bucks County Play house) and later acquired lumber and flaxseed oil mills. In addition to owning and operating several mills, Parry created a method to preserve grains during shipping in 1810, was instrumental in opening the first New Hope Bank, and even helped build the first bridge across the Delaware River that connected Pennsylvania to New Jersey. In honor of Parry's contributions to the town of New Hope, the New Hope Historical Society acquired the Parry Mansion in 1966 where they have since restored it to its prime shape.