Designed to reflect Fairfield's rural agricultural roots and serve as the home of the Fairfield Historical Society, the building resides on a "cultural campus" of town and civic buildings, including history, religious, educational, and service institutions. Wood shingles and siding, wood shutters, simple wood trim, and divided light wood windows evoke a rural, residential character. The building's details are simple and functional, reflecting the work-a-day quality of rural America, while having a hint of Yankee invention.

Intended to appear as a collection of small rural buildings, each of five discrete components houses a particular function - education, meeting hall, offices, museum, and library. The components are connected by a window-enclosed lobby that welcomes visitors and provides an alcove for orientation. The alcove perimeter is surrounded by a painted "diorama" used to educate visitors about the history of Fairfield.