The original house was probably built for the family of Timothy Knapp in the late 1600s. He and his wife, Martha Weeks, shared it with their son Isaac Knapp, Sr. and his family, including his first two children. Later in the century it was used as a tavern and the meeting place for the local Freemasons. It is intimately connected to the Revolutionary war, having housed General Putnam and hosted General Washington and his entourage for lunch.
In 1901, a group of concerned citizen purchased Putnam Cottage and in November 1902, the deed was presented to the Israel Putnam House Association, Inc. to maintain as a museum. Putnam Cottage is open to the public as an historical museum, as a learning center for area students, and as a setting for Revolutionary War celebrations that bring a thrill and pride to people of the Town and to visitors from all parts of the United States and abroad.