56 George Street is a one and one half-story, gable-front, two over three-bay, frame structure, similar to 52 George Street, its neighbor immediately to the south. It sits on the east side of George Street, between Monroe and Peru Streets. The entrance, in the northernmost bay, is framed by side lights, and like many other dwellings of this type on George Street, cornice returns help give definition to the façade. A Queen Anne style entry porch was probably added at a later date. A rear addition had been completed by 1890, but was greatly modified or replaced entirely by a larger addition by 1894¹

This building was constructed between 1857 and 1869 for Cornelius H. Sheldon,² a mail agent, who moved to 21 George Street in 1871.³ In 1890, the building was owned by Mrs. H.S. Roby,⁴ who probably rented the building to Thomas Failey. Failey was a clerk with the Burlington Board of Assessors, and remained in the house until 1906.⁵ In 1907, C. Frank Knox purchased 56 George Street, and lived there until 1940, working as a janitor for much of that time.⁶