the house was the ancient residence of the quintana family, a wealthy owners and traders of oil and wine. actually, on the ground floor, it is possible to see an oil mill that has an inscription from 1703. the most notable head of family was albert quintana i combis, a liberal politician of the catalan renaixença (a 19th century catalan nationalism wave) he held different positions in the spanish administration, such as head of huesca province, spanish legislator and senator, and secretary and intendent in the island of cuba. he also was a poet and he called himself as "el cantor del ter" (the singer of ter).