Cottonwood House was built by 1865 by John Ryder and Allen Smith who pre-empted the property in 1863.

John Boyd bought Cottonwood House in 1874. Managers were employed to run it until 1886. There were three buildings at Cottonwood: the roadhouse, log stable, and log cabin.

In 1886, John, Janet, and five of the children move into Cottonwood House. Three more children are born there: Archibald (1887), Chewster (1889), and Walter (1891).

John Boyd builds the warehouse-store in 1890. The store sells fresh, dried, and preserved foodstuffs, meat, hardware, mining equipment, and clothing. Sheep, pigs, poultry, beef, cattle, dairy cows, and horses are raised. Hay, grains, and vegetables are grown and stored in the hay barns, root cellar, and warehouse. Produce and meat are taken to Barkerville for sale.

The roadhouse is busy with miners, stage passengers, drivers and freighters passing through. Well known visitors include: Judge Begbie, Dr. Hugh Watt, John Bowron, J.B. Nason, Dentist Jones, and Pauline Johnson, poet.

The Post Office is established in 1895, which forms the hub of the community for the circulation of news until it ceases operations in 1959.

In 1909, John Boyd dies after a brief illness. The three Boyd boys, Archie, Chester, and Walter enlist and serve overseas during World War 1. In 1917, Archie and Chester were killed in action. Walter returns from war to live in Quesnel. Janet Boyd continues to run Cottonwood assisted largely by Willie, Harry, and Alice.

Lord and Lady Willingdon, the Governor General and his wife, stop in 1930 on the way to Barkerville.

In 1935, Henry (fourth child of John and Janet) continues to run the Post Office, farm and store. In 1951, the property sells to Vagn and Anna Olrik, after Alice and husband move to Wells in 1950. In 1963, the Province of British Columbia buys Cottonwood House and designates it an Historic Site.

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