The town of Comrie in Perthshire is known as the "Shaky Toun" due to its history of being a haven for earthquakes and tremors.

Following the largest earthquake recorded in the region (4.8 on the Richter Scale in 1839) the Comrie Pioneers, a local postmaster and a local shoemaker respectively, created the world's first modern seismometer in 1840. It was decided to house it in this small building in The Ross, Comrie. It became the world's first dedicated observatory for earthquakes.

As better equipment became available it fell into disrepair, but in 1977, it was recognized as a building of special historic interest. A few years later, a team from the British Geological Survey refurbished the structure and installed more modern equipment. Windows were also added to the building so visitors could peek inside.