The Woodburn Residence is one of many examples of brick Italianate residences erected in the City of Saint John in the years following Great Fire in 1877. Erected in 1880, this building is located in what is now the Orange Street Heritage Preservation Area.

The Woodburn Residence was occupied by James Ramsay Woodburn, who worked a number of jobs after moving to Fredericton from Scotland. For one, he was a dry goods merchant and a candy manufacturer, and in 1889 he patented Woodburn's Pulverizer for grinding confectionery sugar. He often built machinery, often working alongside his neighbor and fellow machinist E. S. Stephenson. Woodburn also worked in photography, amassing a large collection of stereographs that can currently be found at the New Brunswick Museum. Lastly, he served on the Saint John Common Council for many years.

Woodburn's daughter Annie is also of note. Annie was a talented artist - her work, a significant percentage of which focused on the Saint John River and the surrounding area, received widespread acclaim and she became known throughout Canada. She both worked and taught students in her private studio near the back of this home. Additionally, she was a member of both the Saint John Art Club and the Women's Art Association of Canada, Saint John Division.