Octagon House
Octagon House that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Photos
Overview Looking Southwest
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Remember, these homes are privately owned and occupied. They are NOT open to the general public. PLEASE respect the privacy rights of these owners. Remain on public throughfares and DO NOT trespass!
This is one of two octagon houses in Fond du Lac. The octagon home was the brainchild of Orson Squire Fowler, who was better known as a phrenologist. His book, The Octagon House: A Home for All was quite popular in the mid 19th century. In it, he points out that octagons provide more interior space while using less land than rectangular designs. He also claimed octagons were cheaper to heat, could use central heating, were easier to keep cool with central ventilation through a cupola.
Photo taken by J.R. Manning in July 2010
Map
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on November 3, 1972
- Reference number
- 72000051
- Architectural style
- Victorian: Octagon Mode
- Area of significance
- Architecture
- Level of significance
- Local
- Evaluation criteria
- C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- Building
- Historic function
- Single dwelling
- Period of significance
- 1850-1874
- Significant year
- ca. 1856
Update Log
- September 21, 2012: Updated by J.R. Manning: Added to category "Underground railroad"
- July 12, 2010: New photos from J.R. Manning
Sources
- J.R. Manning - Lugnuts969 [at] gmail [dot] com
- National Register database - Reference number 72000051 (Search for documents)
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