John Golder (1849-1902) was a man of many skills, housebuilder, woodturner, furniture maker-the ultimate do it yourselfer'. John built this cottage in 1876 and with his wife, Jane, brought up a family of 12 children. It was lived in by members of the family until 1985 and then was restored and has operated as a museum since 1990. It exhibits original furnishings, memorabilia and photographs of the family. The original form of the cottage was a simple gable, single clad roof with two rooms upstairs and two down, and a veranda across the front. It has had three additions to form the dwelling now standing on the historic site. The Heritage New Zealand have given the Cottage and Foodstore a category 2 rating.