The Heritage Center was the 1995 gift of Charles Rice and his sister, Mary Wood Waite, to Autauga County Heritage Association for use as a museum. The house was sold for $1.00 to the City of Prattville with an agreement that the City would renovate it and allow Autauga County Heritage Association to operate a museum there in accordance with the donors request.

The facility carries the name Heritage Center because it is the center of operations of Autauga County Heritage Association. Not only does it house the Prattaugan Museum, Autauga County Archives and a Visitor Information Center, it is also the office of the Association's executive director. In addition it is headquarters for Historic Prattville Redevelopment Authority.