The Wendell Lewis Willkie House, located in Rushville, Rush County, Indiana, is historically significant for its direct association with the prominent American lawyer, corporate executive, and 1940 Republican presidential nominee, Wendell Willkie. Originally constructed circa 1874 as a two-story Italianate brick residence, the house later underwent modifications that incorporated Queen Anne and Free Classic architectural elements, reflecting the evolving tastes of Rushville's prosperous citizens. Willkie acquired the property in 1940, and it quickly transitioned into his primary residence and the unofficial national headquarters for his historic presidential campaign against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt. Throughout the tumultuous 1940 election cycle, the home served as a vital backdrop for political strategy sessions, high-profile press conferences, and public rallies, cementing its place in twentieth-century American political history.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion B, the home represents a critical period in United States history when internationalism and national unity were paramount on the eve of World War II. As a charismatic "dark horse" candidate who championed civil rights, international cooperation, and aid to the Allies, Willkie utilized his Rushville home to cultivate his political identity as a pragmatic, self-made Midwesterner. The house remains a tangible monument to Willkie's enduring legacy of bipartisanship and his "One World" philosophy of global unity, as well as his deep-seated connection to the Rushville community, which served as his adopted hometown and final resting place.