Plans for an octagon house

An octagon house is exactly what it sounds like—an eight-sided building. A unique fad in residential architecture, they were particularly popular during the mid-19th century in the United States. This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... An octagon is a polygon that has eight sides. ... A fad, also known as a craze, refers to a fashion that becomes popular in a culture (or subcultures) relatively quickly, remains popular, often for a rather brief period, then loses popularity dramatically. ... Architecture (in Greek αρχή = first and τέχνη = craftsmanship) is the art and science of designing buildings and structures. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Early examples are Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest and William Thornton's Tayloe House, which is more commonly called The Octagon House. After the White House was burned down by the British during the War of 1812, President James Madison stayed in the Octagon House in Washington, D.C. It was here that the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 was signed. Later it served as the headquarters of the American Institute of Architects. Order: Third President Vice President: Aaron Burr; George Clinton Term of office: March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809 Preceded by: John Adams Succeeded by: James Madison Date of birth: April 13, 1743 Place of birth: Shadwell, Virginia Date of death: July 4, 1826 Place of death: Charlottesville, Virginia First Lady... Thomas Jefferson, the architect of such buildings as Monticello, the University of Virginia, and Virginias State Capitol, built the more remote and lesser-known Poplar Forest in Bedford County, Virginia as a private retreat from a very public life. ... William Thornton (May 20, 1759 - 28 March 1828) was the original architect of the United States Capitol. ... The southern side of the White House The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. ... The War of 1812 was a conflict fought in North America between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. ... Seal of the President of the United States The President of the United States is the head of state of the United States. ... Order: 4th President Vice President: George Clinton; Elbridge Gerry Term of office: March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817 Preceded by: Thomas Jefferson Succeeded by: James Monroe Date of birth: March 16, 1751 Place of birth: Port Conway, Virginia Date of death: June 28, 1836 Place of death: Montpelier, Virginia First... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the... The Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, in Ghent, Belgium, ended the War of 1812 between the United States and United Kingdom. ... The War of 1812 was a conflict fought in North America between the United States and Great Britain from 1812 to 1815. ... The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization for architects in the United States. ...

The English architect Thomas Ivory designed an octagonal church for the Unitarian congregation of Norwich U.K. in 1756 which is still extant and in regular use. It has exceptionally fine acoustical properties. Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ... Norwich (pronounced variously Norritch or Norridge) is a city in East Anglia, in Eastern England, the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. ... 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

The leading promoter of eight-sided structures in the U.S. was Orson Squire Fowler. Fowler was America’s foremost lecturer and writer on phrenology, the pseudo-science of defining an individual’s characteristics by the contours of the head. In the middle of the 19th century, Fowler made his mark on American architecture when he touted the advantages of octagonal homes over rectangular and square structures in his widely publicized book, The Octagon House: A Home for All. According to Fowler, an octagon house was cheaper to build, allowed for additional living space, received more natural light, was easier to heat, and remained cooler in the summer. This last attribute was an important point when the ruling principles of Victorian air conditioning were, avoid direct sun and pray for a breeze.

As a result of Orson Fowler’s authoritative publication, a few thousand octagonal houses were erected – mostly on the East Coast and in the Midwest. Nationwide, less than 500 of these very rare, romantic, Victorian-era homes are still standing. Even in their heyday, octagon houses never lined city street and neighborhood blocks. On the contrary, an eight-sided home seemed to be the choice of the individualists, standing defiant among four-sided neighbors.

External link

• Octagon House Inventory
• Octagon House: 1850-1860
• Octagon house in Upstate New York 1870