Wistariahurst is the former home of two generations of the Skinner Family, manufacturers of nationally renowned silks and satins, and prominent residents of Holyoke. The grand estate and gardens have been a focal point in the Holyoke landscape since 1874. In 1959, Katharine Skinner Kilborne, the youngest daughter of William and Sarah Skinner, and her heirs donated Wistariahurst to the City of Holyoke to be used for cultural and educational purposes.