San Francisco’s Octagon House: A Home Filled With Light

The exterior of the Octogan House might be called striped classic revival, a classical architectural style without decoration. Quoining, which is the interlacing of blocks of wood, was used at the home’s corners. The cupola on the roof adds additional airflow to the entire home. The flat roof collected rainwater for built-in cisterns. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

Orson Squire Fowler (1809–1887) introduced the eight-sided octagonal structure to the American public with lectures, books, and a home overlooking the Hudson River built between 1848 and 1853. William and Harriet McElroy were among the early adopters of the octagon design, following Fowler’s plan in 1861 for a home. Their San Francisco home was crafted to flood the interior of both floors (and the dome on top) with natural sunlight and fresh air; 40 windows in all create a healthy living environment.

Initially, a “gravel wall,” (a mix of concrete and stone) was to be used for the structure, but California Redwood timbers proved to be as structurally sound, weather resistant, and economical as the concrete and stone material. McElroy owned a mill that provided enough lumber for the Octagon House.

The McElroy’s octagon home was on the verge of demolition when the Colonial Dames of California purchased it in 1952, moved it to its present location, and now use the building as their headquarters and museum. Once the structure was moved, William C. Perry, former dean of Architecture at the University of California-Berkeley, oversaw a restoration. During restoration, a time capsule was found under the stairs leading to the dome, in which McElroy placed newspaper clippings anticipating the Civil War.

The living room on the first floor was once four square rooms around a central stairway. Two walls were removed to expand it into a central meeting area, and the staircase to the second floor was moved to the rear of the house. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

The view of the circular staircase leading to the second floor, shows the decorative lighting on the ceiling. The amount of light let in by the many windows is evident here. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

The upstairs library is brilliantly lit with natural sunlight from the large windows. Draperies are as they were at that time, and the chandelier is the original. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

Another view of the library shows an exhibit of early American furnishings. The octagonal corners were made into display cases for early American artifacts, porcelain, and pewter. One of the cabinets contains silver, some of which were original Paul Revere silver pieces. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

The garden can be seen through the large windows from one of the four square rooms upstairs. Windows are the same throughout the house; they open widely to replace the need for vents under the windows. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

A view of the Octagon house from the side shows the gardens, which were later added in a Colonial style by a landscape designer. This was to improve the appearance of the large grounds and underscore the Colonial Dames' commitment to preserving early American artifacts on display inside. (Courtesy of Colonial Dames of California)

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