CALIFORNIA

Alameda County

• Fruitvale. Octagon house. Built in 1866 or before. Partially destroyed in an earthquake in 1868. Located on "old county road" and High Street.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Peurzer.
  Entered: September, 2011.
• Near Hayward. Octagon house. Built in 1919 by Hans Hansen. Located on Foothill Boulevard, near Hayward. Single story. Large porch, which might go around the entire house. The structure was razed in 1956 to make room for a road.
  
  

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  The photograph above, left, appears to be from about 1920, but this is just a guess, based on the car. It is probably from abut the time the house was completed.
  
  The item in the middle, above, suggests the structure was a tea house at some point. It was apparently demolished in 1956.
  
  The item at the right, above, from the January 29, 1934, edition of the Oakland Tribune, states that the house was built in 1919 by Hans Hansen.
  
  Sources: Janet Baker. Ellen Peurzer. Hayward Historical Society.
  Entered: March, 2009.
  Updated: April, 2009.
  Updated September, 2009
• East Oakland. Octagon house. East Oakland Ca. 3753 Brookdale Avenue. (Allendale district) A July 17, 1927 article in the Oakland Tribune discusses an East Oakland man named Eric Nygren who owned an octagon-shaped house (or at least one with significant octagonal features) Long since destroyed.
  
  

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  Sources: Ellen Peurzer. Kathleen Leles DiGiovanni, Acting Sr. Librarian, Adult Reference Services. Alameda county - Oakland Tribune July 17, 1927 pages 5-6.
  Entered: October, 2009.

Butte County

• Chico. Octagon house. Built in 1881. The original owner was apparently William J. Daly, a shoe maker. Located at 494 East Fifth Street. In year 2009 the house is split in to two apartments.
  
  

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  Source: Falyn
  Entered: June, 2009.

Fresno County

• Coalinga. Octagon house. Built in 1915. Located at 6th and Durland Streets. Survived the May 2,1983, earthquake. Now owned by the city, and is an outreach center.
  
  

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  Sources: Ellen Puerzer. Krystal M. Chojnacki, Economic Development Coordinator, City of Coalings.
  Entered: November, 2010.

Los Angeles County

• Artesia. Octagon schoolhouse. Construction date unknown - perhaps around 1900. Single story. Belltower.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: April, 2009.
• Los Angeles. Octagon house. Circa 1860s. Located at 3rd and Main, in an 1871 panorama map, by the #20 below.
  

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  Sources: Ellen Puerzer. Harpers Magazine, December, 1882, page 47.
  Entered: November, 2009.
  Updated: January, 2011
• Pasadena. Octagon house. Heritage Square, 3800 Homer Street, Los Angeles. Built in 1893 by Gilbert Longfellow (from Rogue Bluffs, Maine) in Pasadena, who moved to California in search of more healthy living conditions, and cashed in on the local citrus bonanza. In 1917 or so it was moved from its original location on San Pasqual to Allen Street, both in Pasadena. It was moved to Heritage Square in 1986, after Longfellow's grandson, Walter Hastings, moved out, and arranged with the Heritage Square Museum to take over the house.
  
  

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  The left and middle photographs above are circa 1900.
  
  
  Sources: The Octagon Fad, p. 14, and the Cultural Affairs Commission, Los Angeles. photo and description.. Ellen Puerzer. Suzanne Wray.
  Entered: June, 2001.
  Updated: June, 2009.
  Updated: March, 2010
  Updated: July, 2010
  Updated: March, 2011
• San Gabriel. Octagon house. Built of adobe blocks. Apparently gone now.
  Source: R. Kline.
  Entered: October, 2002.

Marin County

• Ross. Octagon house. Built by George and Annie Worm in 1863. Now the home of the Moya Del Pino Library and Ross Historical Society.
  
  

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  Sources: R. Kline. Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: June, 2001.
  Updated October, 2009
  Updated December, 2009

Mendocino County

• Sherwood-Willits. Octagon house. Built well before 1901, perhaps by Alfred E. Sherwood, the founder of the town. Sherwood was a logging town. After the lumber was all taken a fire swept through the town. It's not clear what the status of the octagon house is today. It was located about eight miles outside of Sherwood, and was a boarding house. As of 2010 the house is still standing, and in good repair. The town of Sherwood was devoured in a fire in the 1950s.
  
  

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  The photograph above, left, was taken in about 1905.
  
  Sources: R. Kline. Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: June, 2001.
  Updated: July, 2007.
  Updated February, 2010
  Updated: December, 2011

Napa County

• Calistoga. Octagon house. Built by A.D.Rogers for a Mr. Fletcher. Construction date unclear, but before 1910, because according to the 1910 census it was occupied already. Located on the northwest corner of Lake and Grant Streets.
  Source: Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: April, 2009.

Orange County

• Villa Park. Octagon house. Built 1876 by Joel Parker. Now gone. Two story. Cupola. The photographs below were taken in 1938, apparently just after new owners, the Arkley's, had purchased the house. Just when the house was demolished is not clear. It's clear the Villa Park area was much less developed then than it is in year 2006, and as so often happens, perhaps the house got in the way of some developers plans. Pre WWII California was a much more open place than it is today. The house appears to have a typical California tile roof. A lasting solution, it nevertheless requires a very strong structure, so it's easy to believe this was a very substantially constructed house.
  
  

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  Sources: R. Kline. Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: September, 2002.
  Updated: May, 2006.
  Updated: September, 2011

San Bernardino County

• Belleville. Octagon house. In built in, or just after, 1861. The town, once located just north of Big Bear Lake, in Holcomb Valley, was a gold mining town. Characteristicaly, it grew quickly, and was abondoned quickly once the gold ran out. The octagon house was used by "painted ladies" to "entertain" men.
  
  Source: Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: November, 2009.
• Near Twin Peaks. Octagon house. Located less than 10 miles from Lake Arrowhead, at 26433 Lake Forest Drive, Twin Peaks, CA 92325. Lot 20, Block "B", Tract No. 1893, Alpine Glens Part No. 2, as per Plat recorded in Book 27 of Maps, Pages 46 and 47, Records of San Bernardino County. Two story. The first floor has additional rectangles for the kitchen and bath. Each wall on the first floor is 8 feet. Steeply pitched gabled roof.
  Source: Merna M. New
  Entered: August, 2002.

San Diego County

• San Diego. Octagon house. Built well before 1876. Two story, cupola. Porch around at least three sides.a Located on 6th Street, near the intersection of Ceder Street. Ash and Beech Streets are nearby. A segment of an 1876 map of San Diego shows the building at the center of the image.
  Source: R. Kline
  Entered: July, 2002.
• San Diego. Octagon house. Built well before 1876. Single story. Located on 11th Street. A segment of an 1876 map of San Diego shows the building at the center of the image.
  Source: R. Kline
  Entered: July, 2002.
• San Diego. Octagon house. Built in 1901 or before for the Albert Spaulding, of baseball fame, family. The oriental influence is apparent. In year 2010 the house serves as the administration building for the evangelical Point Loma Nazarene University.
  
  

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  The photograph above is circa 1901.

  
  Source: Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: January, 2010.

San Francisco County

• San Francisco. Built in 1861 at 2646 Gough St. San Francisco County The McElroy Octagon was built at the SE corner of Union and Gough St. It was erected as a rather simple 2-story house with cupola, and had stucco exterior with quoins at the corners. ( as seen on early images below) It suffered extensive damage in the 1906 earthquake that leveled much of the city. Entire walls of the home collapsed, exposing the interior. When it was rebuilt, exterior woodboards replaced the stucco siding and quoins once more framed each corner. It was moved in the 1950s across the street to its present location. (Image mcelroy 10 & 15 is photo postcards just prior to the move.)
  
  The photograph in the top row, left, and center, show the house before the 1906 earthquake, when the house had a masonry exterior. After the earthquake the exterior walls were replaced with wood boards. Also note the octagonal carriage house. What became of it is unclear at this time.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: September, 2011.
  Updated: January, 2012
• San Francisco. Octagon house. 1067 Green St. San Francisco County built in 1858 George Kenny, a produce merchant, built this octagon house. It was 2 stories with a small cupola. In 1870 he sold it to a French family, the Feusiers who occupied the home for many years. While Mme. Feusier was paying a visit to France, her husband Louis, as a surprise, added the octagonal mansard roof story. It gave the family more room. A narrow tower also mansard roofed, stood at the apex. The house and tower was one of the few to survive the 1906 earthquake/fire. It is unknown when the tower was truncated into a cupola. In 1970 the owner planned to raze it for a high-rise apartment. Fortunately it was saved although currently it is sandwiched between 2 high rises.
  
  The images below show the house over the years. As of year 2011 the house appears to be in excellent condition.
  
  

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  Sources: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: September, 2011.
  Updated: November, 2011
• San Francisco. Built (in Fowler era) on Russian Hill, the John Bull house, was demolished sometime in the 1940s. It appears on a 19th century birdseye-view photograph across from the Feusier home.
  
  

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  Extreme right, above, the John P. Bull house. At left , Feusier home prior to mansard rooaddition.
  
  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: September, 2011.
• San Francisco. An octagon house stood on Leavenworth St. built in 1876. It was similar to the Gough street (McElroy) octagon with quoins on the corners. It appears on a 19th century birdseye-view map.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: September, 2011.
• San Francisco. Harrison St. near 2nd St. San Francisco County Built: 1860s An octagon was built on Rincon Hill near the Second Street Bridge. It was a large 2-story home with a baluster atop the first floor porch and around the roof. Each of 8 walls had a pair of windows. There was a small addition on one side. It appears on 1876 birdseye-view photographs.
  
  

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  The photograph at the left, above, is circa 1868.
  
  Sources: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: September, 2011.
• San Francisco. Octagon house. Also served as a lookout station. Built in 1927. Now owned by the Golden Gate National Recration Area. The house was used to watch for ships, and announce their arrival to companies so they could be unloaded or otherwise handled. One might have thougth that radio would have served that purpose by 1927, but for some reason the system of lookout stations was still in operation.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: December 31, 2009.

San Joaquin County

• Stockton. Octagon house. Built before the Civil War. Owned by a General Connor, who moved to town in 1852. Located at Sutter near Main. Connor married in 1854, but his wife died in 1859. He lived in Stockton until 1862. The newspaprer piece below, from August 22, 1868, shows that he lived in the house after the Civil War. At some point he relocated to Utah.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: September, 2009.
  Updated: September, 2011

San Mateo County

• Fifty miles south of San Francisco. Hexagon lighthouse building. Ano Nuevo Island Light. Off Highway 1.
  
  Source: Ron Livingston.
  Entered: March, 2002.
• San Carlos. Octagon house. Built in 1872, as a "party house." Three story. Located at 125 Dale Avenue. Apparently in very good condition in year 1991.
  
  

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  Ellen Prurzer provides the following information:
  
  San Carlos, CA. Octagon house. Built in 1872.. 3 story 0ctagonal folly An early wealthy member of Bohemian club was Nathaniel J. Brittan. In 1872 a remote hunting and party lodge was constructed by Brittan in San Carlos, about 15 miles south of San Francisco, for the use of the Bohemian club. The lodge is octagonal, three stories tall and topped by an octagonal cupola. The entire third story is one room with eight foot square brick fireplace. The house still stands on its original foundation at 125 Dale Avenue, private residence. The house is listed on the National Register Over the years the house has suffered significant differential settling and leans forward from the hillside; it is in need of structural repairs if it is to remain a standing landmark.
  
  Source: R. Kline. Ellen Puerzer. Nancy Oliver - San Carlos Heritage Association. "Here Today: San Francisco's Architectual Heritage," by the Junion League of San Francisco.
  Entered: September, 2002.
  Updated: May, 2009.

Santa Barbara County

• Santa Barbara. Hexagon house. Built in 1895, or before. Owned by William H. H. Lewis, who died April 26, 1905. Located at 24 W. Pedregosa Street.
  
  

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  Sources: Ellen Puerzer. Michael Redmon, director of research, Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Laurie Hannah, Presidio Research Center.
  Entered: September, 2009.
• Santa Barbara. Octagon house. A July 24, 1890, edition of the Morning Press states, in its report of a fire in Misson Canyon, that the only structure lost was an octagon house belonging to a Mr. Hawley.
  Sources: Ellen Puerzer. Michael Redmon, director of research, Santa Barbara Historical Museum.
  Entered: September, 2009.

Santa Cruz County

• Santa Cruz. Hexagon house. The Dr. J. H. Joselyn home. Built in 1884, apparently by Fred Cummings. A three sided porch was added some time between 1892 and 1905 according to Sanborn fire maps. Located at 130 Sycamore Street. Two story. No cuploa. In year 2012 the house is a 5 unit apartment.
  
  

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  Sources: Ellen Puerzer. Eric Stricker, Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
  Entered: February, 2009.
  Updated: February, 2012
• Santa Cruz. Octagon cottage. The Sargent octagon. Built in 1886. It appears that each wall is many seven feet long, making the structure tiny. Maybe 250 square feet. Part of the early Seabright Colony.
  
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  Entered: January, 2010.
  Updated: March, 2010

Solano County

• Vallejo. Octagon house. According to a 1936 edition of the Vallejo Times-Herald the house was built in about 1865. Accounts vary, saying the houses was either torn down in 1908, or still standing in to the 1910s, in an abandoned state. Two story. Large cupola. Apparently no porch.
  

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  Source: Ellen Puerzer
  
  Entered: April, 2009.

Sonoma County

• Two Rock. Octagon house. The house was built about 1857 by Charles Blackburn, who came west in 1852 in the same wagon train as Silas and Nancy Martin. A diary suggests the Martin's lived in the house by 1857. Located at about 3925 Spring Hill Road. GPS coordinates 38.242494, -122.752694. Evelyn McClure relates the following information:

  He was born in Kentucky but moved to Illinois at age 4. he learned the harness making trade. he served as justice of the peace in Iowa and California. He served a term in the CA State Legislature from 1867 and in 1882. a charter member of the Grange and Odd Fellows and a deacon of the Presbyterian Church. He established a dairy herd on 326 acres in Two Rock in 1853. Silas married Nancy Cameron of Illinois. they had 4 daughters and 2 sons. Silas Martin died in 1894. The house stood vacant for a about a 20 year period, but miraculously was not badly vandalized, and was then occupied by Harold Martin, a great grandson of Silas Martin, in 1946.

  Two story, with a large cupola, the house no longer has the porch which extended entirely around it. There is a spiral staircase to the second floor from a circular hallway in the center of the house.

  According to information supply by Carolyn Winters, a great great granddaughter of Silas Martin, and who lived in the house starting in 1946, the seventh generation of martins is living in the house today.

  
  
  The images below show the house over the years. For now, no more current photograph is available here, and the most current one that is available shows the house has entirely lost the elaborate porch. The photo at the right does not show steps by the door. There is a curtain the window above the door, suggesting the house is lived in, but no indication of power lines in this view. And there appears to have been a lot of repair done to the stucco, and more needed, for example on both sides of the door. Being in California probably saved the house at all during it's 20 years of being empty. That vandals did not tear the house apart is all the more amazing.
  
  

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  The two photographs in the bottom row, above, show that serious restoration work has begun on the hows as of year 2011.
  
  Satellite images, showing the context of the house.
  
  

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  Sources: Evelyn McClure, who also supplied photographs,and "The Valley of the Trail Between the Two Rocks," by Margaret Martin Paull, self published, 1993. Carolyn Martin Winters, a great granddaughter of the builder, Silas Martin. Vanessa Pritchard supplied the 2007 B&W photograph. Dale Travis located the satellite image. Ellen Puerzer.
  Entered: February, 2003.
  Updated: October, 2003.
  Updated: January, 2007.
  Updated: November, 2011