The Cottage officially opened in April 1978, after five years of hard work by society members and volunteers restoring the building. The original homestead "Glenbank" was built in 1871 for the son of a Rangitikei pioneer family, Neil Small and his new bride Margaret. The Small family lived in the cottage until 1964.

In 1973 the Cottage was donated to the Marton and District Historical Society by the late Mr R.J. Smith. It was transported from it's original site to the Marton township, some four miles away. The cottage is now permanently sited on Council-owned land adjacent to the Memorial Hall in Wellington Road, Marton.