The house was originally built in 1848 by Richard Duggan, using limestone from the Hamilton Mountain. The land was purchased by Calvin McQuesten (1801 - 1855), a New England doctor, in 1852. Calvin McQuesten came to Canada in 1835 to join his cousin, John Fisher, in business. Mr. Fisher's company, which was Hamilton's first foundry, was later to become Massey - Ferguson. Calvin McQuesten was also active in the community, serving as director and vice - president of the Gore Bank (1862 and 1867). He also helped to establish St. Andrew's and MacNab Street Presbyterian Churches and the Wesleyan Female (Ladies') College, which is now the site of the Royal Connaught Hotel.

Calvin's son, Isaac, moved his family into the home in 1885, after his father's death. It was also in 1885 that the property, originally called Willow Band, was renamed Whitehern, after a famous historical residence in England, by Mary McQuesten, Isaac's wife. "Whitehern" is also Scottish for "white house".

Isaac's son, Thomas Baker McQuesten (1882 - 1948), was a prominent Canadian and a dedicated public servant with a passion for parks and beautification. He made significant contributions to the City of Hamilton, the Niagara Peninsula, and the Province of Ontario during a political and civic career marked by diligence, integrity, and vision.

In 1959, the surviving members of the McQuesten family (Calvin, Hilda, and Mary) deeded their home to the Parks Board. The terms of the donation stated that the residence was to be kept as a "period place" and maintained as a memorial to Dr. Calvin and the Honourable Thomas Baker McQuesten. Upon giving his family's property to the City, Reverend Calvin McQuesten expressed his delight that all members of the public would now be able to "enjoy, whenever they please, the beautiful rooms of Whitehern and eat their lunches in its pleasant garden".

From 1968 to 1971, Whitehern was restored by the City, and on August 14, 1971, it was opened to the public. The house has been preserved as a museum and has been operated by the City's Department of Culture and Recreation.

Over the years, the gardens of Whitehern have evolved from primarily utilitarian uses (i.e. fruit and vegetable gardens) to ornamental/recreational purposes. The present layout was conceived by H. B. Dunington-Grubb, a well-known landscape architect whose designs include the Rainbow Bridge gardens and the former Sunken Gardens at McMaster University. The Whitehern ground feature authentic structures, decorative artifacts, and original plant materials, which are preserved, researched, maintained, and interpreted according to the terms of the McQuesten agreement.

In 1991, Whitehern (house and gardens) was recognized for its historical and architectural significance by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board.

1. Corporation of the City of Hamilton, Department of Public Works and Traffic, Parks Division, Park Development Section. Parks Master Plan database, 1996.