The Theater Angels Art League bought the house in 1973, and the following year the group opened the building as an arts center. In 1988 the house, appraises at $100,000, had an $11,000 mortgage. The Angels voted to donate the house to the city of Gilroy if the City would cover the mortgage. Since assuming ownership, the city has put the Willey House through an extensive renovation funded jointly by the City of Gilroy and Santa Clara County's Historical Heritage Commission. The improvements included stabilization of the structure, upgrading of the infrastructure, and meeting accessibility standards. The Willey Cultural Center opened in 1996, as a center for the arts and cultural classes and programs. It is also used for many city meetings as well as rented to the public for receptions, meetings, and retreats. For the past several years it has been the home of several annual city events including the Young Artists Show, The Art & Culture Exhibit, and Victorian Christmas. In 2007, Gilroy's very own "first lady" received a "makeover" including a beautiful new paint job and landscaping.

History of the Willey House / Willey Cultural Center

The Rule-Willey House was built in 1857, for Rev. James King Rule, founding pastor of the Gilroy Christian Church built two years prior. Rev. Rule had come from Missouri to Gilroy with his wife and four children in 1855. The materials, fixtures, and construction techniques in both the church and the residence are the same, leading local historians to believe both buildings were built by the church congregation.

When Elder Rule died in 1882, the house passed to his daughter Eliza Eleanor Rule Wentz, wife of Christian Wentz, a farmer in the San Ysidro district near Gilroy. In 1893, the Rule house was sold to Judge Howard Willey.

Willey, his wife Sarah, and their two daughters Grace and Minnie had arrived in Gilroy in 1876, from Iowa. After working in a general merchandise store, Mr. Willey was elected Justice of the Peace in 1883.

Both Grace and Minnie were accomplished musicans, and, after the family moved into the house, they made several structural changes to the building to reflect their interest and passion for music and the arts. Both bay windows on the west side of the house were installed to accommodate grand pianos. French doors replaced a window on the east wall of the back parlor that became a music parlor where the sisters could conduct their many music lessons, concerts and musicals.

The rear room, formerly the kitchen, served as Judge Willey's office. A separate entrance was installed so he could conduct judicial business without disturbing the family. A great lover of nature and floriculture, Judge Willey took great pride in his many flower and vegetable gardens, as well as the huge magnolia tree on the east side of the house. Many visitors would leave the home with fresh vegetables or cuttings from his gardens.

A large veranda style porch was added about 1915, and goes across the front of the house and down the east wall.