386:
275:. The porches or verandas running all round the house are constructed in timber. They are part of the original design, but by 1924 they were so rotten as to be dangerous, and Richards' daughter had them taken down. For many years visitors could only imagine the house with its porches by referring to a scale model of the house, which sits in the grass next to the house. The porches were reconstructed in 1978 at a cost of $ 50,000. By 2006 they were again in a dangerous condition and an anonymous donation enabled them to be restored once more.
65:
1120:
90:
341:
350:
368:
252:
359:
332:
1131:
377:
97:
72:
51:
607:
263:
and mill owner, with construction completed in 1854. It was still in the
Richards family until the death of his grandson, William Thomas, in 1935. The family offered to sell the house to the city (reputedly for $ 1) but it was sold to the Watertown Historical Society (founded 1933), and opened to the
1009:
1104:
1040:
1024:
1014:
1190:
287:, ducts in the brick walls, and outlets in the major rooms. The roof is funnel-shaped, and fed rainwater into a tank on the third floor, which fed faucets at a few spots in the house. The kitchen was in the basement, with a
1155:
1099:
1045:
278:
Inside the house at the center a hanging spiral staircase connects the floors. Its rail and spindles are of cherry trees from
Richards' land. The staircase is built into four chimney flues that protrude above the
686:
1066:
968:
999:
933:
898:
973:
878:
838:
663:
938:
928:
923:
903:
1019:
853:
768:
888:
883:
758:
978:
943:
848:
823:
963:
913:
893:
868:
858:
843:
833:
818:
798:
773:
763:
753:
1160:
983:
958:
863:
803:
783:
778:
748:
738:
918:
873:
813:
788:
743:
1050:
948:
828:
793:
1004:
953:
908:
808:
716:
701:
271:, and is 50 feet (15 m) across excluding the balconies. It has eight square rooms on each floor and triangular rooms in the corners, a total of 32 rooms including the
137:
656:
553:
732:
306:
and an early mayor of
Watertown. In 1840 he fetched his wife Eliza Forbes from Massachusetts, reportedly promising to build her the finest house in the best town in
1165:
89:
1185:
64:
1134:
649:
1175:
1124:
314:
385:
696:
578:
611:
1170:
672:
447:
232:
37:
1087:
1180:
402:: the article features the Watertown octagon house as a case study and includes the Historic American Buildings Survey drawings.
626:
302:
across the Rock River from this house. He was later appointed the first district attorney of
Jefferson County, and was elected
243:
wrote, "...probably the best-planned octagon house in the country is the John
Richards House at Watertown, Wisconsin..."
1092:
1071:
706:
523:
405:
711:
691:
476:
452:
340:
510:
349:
303:
220:
125:
367:
358:
307:
283:. Richards also built a passive air conditioning system into the house, with air intakes below the
251:
410:
331:
488:
472:
641:
240:
199:
1149:
418:
399:
236:
376:
1105:
University and college buildings listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
633:", 1 photo, 5 measured drawings, 5 data pages, supplemental material
414:
320:
Descendants of the
Richards family hosted a 150th anniversary celebration in 2004.
499:
299:
292:
288:
636:
152:
139:
50:
606:
630:
259:
The house was designed and built by John
Richards, a pioneer Watertown
239:
built in the United States in the mid-19th century. In 1950 architect
1100:
List of jails and prisons on the
National Register of Historic Places
280:
272:
260:
1191:
National
Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
619:
284:
268:
250:
442:
264:
public in 1938. The house is still a museum open to the public.
1156:
Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin
645:
96:
71:
295:
carried food from the kitchen up to the dining room.
115:
Interactive map showing the location of Octagon House
554:"Octagon House porches to be restored with donation"
1080:
1059:
1033:
992:
725:
702:
History of the National Register of Historic Places
679:
421:, located on the same grounds as the Octagon House.
205:
192:
184:
176:
168:
131:
120:
533:. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 2
298:Richards came to Wisconsin in 1836 and operated a
733:List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state
1161:Historic American Buildings Survey in Wisconsin
1125:National Register of Historic Places portal
631:Octagon House, Watertown, Jefferson County, WI
657:
8:
315:Richards Hill Residential Historic District
664:
650:
642:
473:"NRHP Inventory/Nomination: Octagon House"
466:
464:
462:
231:, was built in 1854 and was listed on the
49:
16:Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
673:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
511:Main page at Watertown Historical Society
291:big enough to hold 24 loaves of bread. A
38:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
637:Dale Travis, Wisconsin Round Barns List
431:
327:
1166:Museums in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
443:"National Register Information System"
437:
435:
21:
1186:Houses in Jefferson County, Wisconsin
7:
500:Page at Watertown Historical Society
448:National Register of Historic Places
233:National Register of Historic Places
1176:Historic house museums in Wisconsin
255:The Watertown Octagon House in 1933
1088:National Historic Preservation Act
627:Historic American Buildings Survey
531:Historic American Buildings Survey
14:
471:Donald N. Anderson (1971-03-17).
1130:
1129:
1118:
605:
577:Krueger, Margaret (2004-07-26).
384:
375:
366:
357:
348:
339:
330:
313:The house is located within the
95:
88:
70:
63:
1041:Federated States of Micronesia
687:Architectural style categories
552:Stowell, Teresa (2006-07-08).
194:
1:
612:Octagon House (Watertown, WI)
104:Show map of the United States
19:United States historic place
1171:Octagon houses in Wisconsin
522:Guth, Alexander C. (1936).
235:in 1971. It is one of many
229:John Richards Octagon House
1207:
1093:Historic Preservation Fund
1072:American Legation, Morocco
579:"Octagon House celebrates"
1113:
1034:Lists by associated state
629:(HABS) No. WI-135, "
193:NRHP reference
153:43.1847306°N 88.7075861°W
113:
57:
48:
44:
35:
28:
24:
1181:Houses completed in 1854
1015:Northern Mariana Islands
185:Architectural style
158:43.1847306; -88.7075861
1010:Minor Outlying Islands
993:Lists by insular areas
707:Keeper of the Register
406:List of octagon houses
267:The house is built of
256:
712:National Park Service
692:Contributing property
583:Watertown Daily Times
558:Watertown Daily Times
477:National Park Service
453:National Park Service
254:
79:Show map of Wisconsin
1067:District of Columbia
614:at Wikimedia Commons
304:justice of the peace
225:Octagon House Museum
223:, also known as the
221:Watertown, Wisconsin
126:Watertown, Wisconsin
455:. January 23, 2007.
308:Wisconsin Territory
149: /
411:First Kindergarten
257:
1143:
1142:
697:Historic district
610:Media related to
213:
212:
209:November 23, 1971
124:919 Charles St.,
1198:
1133:
1132:
1123:
1122:
1121:
1046:Marshall Islands
666:
659:
652:
643:
623:
622:
620:Official website
609:
593:
592:
590:
589:
574:
568:
567:
565:
564:
549:
543:
542:
540:
538:
528:
519:
513:
508:
502:
497:
491:
486:
484:
483:
468:
457:
456:
439:
388:
379:
370:
361:
352:
343:
334:
196:
164:
163:
161:
160:
159:
154:
150:
147:
146:
145:
142:
105:
99:
98:
92:
80:
74:
73:
67:
53:
22:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1146:
1145:
1144:
1139:
1119:
1117:
1109:
1076:
1055:
1029:
988:
721:
675:
670:
618:
617:
602:
597:
596:
587:
585:
576:
575:
571:
562:
560:
551:
550:
546:
536:
534:
526:
524:"Octagon House"
521:
520:
516:
509:
505:
498:
494:
481:
479:
470:
469:
460:
441:
440:
433:
428:
396:
389:
380:
371:
362:
353:
344:
335:
326:
249:
241:Rexford Newcomb
157:
155:
151:
148:
143:
140:
138:
136:
135:
116:
109:
108:
107:
106:
103:
102:
101:
100:
83:
82:
81:
78:
77:
76:
75:
40:
31:
20:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1204:
1202:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1148:
1147:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1137:
1127:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1096:
1095:
1084:
1082:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1074:
1069:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1056:
1054:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1037:
1035:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1025:Virgin Islands
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
1000:American Samoa
996:
994:
990:
989:
987:
986:
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
951:
946:
941:
936:
934:South Carolina
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
899:North Carolina
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
729:
727:
726:Lists by state
723:
722:
720:
719:
717:Property types
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
683:
681:
677:
676:
671:
669:
668:
661:
654:
646:
640:
639:
634:
624:
615:
601:
600:External links
598:
595:
594:
569:
544:
514:
503:
492:
458:
430:
429:
427:
424:
423:
422:
408:
403:
395:
392:
391:
390:
383:
381:
374:
372:
365:
363:
356:
354:
347:
345:
338:
336:
329:
325:
322:
248:
245:
237:octagon houses
211:
210:
207:
203:
202:
197:
190:
189:
186:
182:
181:
180:Richards, John
178:
174:
173:
170:
166:
165:
133:
129:
128:
122:
118:
117:
114:
111:
110:
94:
93:
87:
86:
85:
84:
69:
68:
62:
61:
60:
59:
58:
55:
54:
46:
45:
42:
41:
36:
33:
32:
29:
26:
25:
18:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1203:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1136:
1128:
1126:
1116:
1115:
1112:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1094:
1091:
1090:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1079:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1058:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1038:
1036:
1032:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
997:
995:
991:
985:
982:
980:
977:
975:
974:West Virginia
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
879:New Hampshire
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
839:Massachusetts
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
734:
731:
730:
728:
724:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
684:
682:
678:
674:
667:
662:
660:
655:
653:
648:
647:
644:
638:
635:
632:
628:
625:
621:
616:
613:
608:
604:
603:
599:
584:
580:
573:
570:
559:
555:
548:
545:
532:
525:
518:
515:
512:
507:
504:
501:
496:
493:
490:
478:
474:
467:
465:
463:
459:
454:
450:
449:
444:
438:
436:
432:
425:
420:
419:United States
416:
412:
409:
407:
404:
401:
400:Octagon house
398:
397:
393:
387:
382:
378:
373:
369:
364:
360:
355:
351:
346:
342:
337:
333:
328:
323:
321:
318:
316:
311:
309:
305:
301:
296:
294:
290:
286:
282:
276:
274:
270:
265:
262:
253:
246:
244:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
217:Octagon House
208:
206:Added to NRHP
204:
201:
198:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
162:
144:88°42′27.31″W
134:
130:
127:
123:
119:
112:
91:
66:
56:
52:
47:
43:
39:
34:
30:Octagon House
27:
23:
939:South Dakota
929:Rhode Island
924:Pennsylvania
904:North Dakota
586:. Retrieved
582:
572:
561:. Retrieved
557:
547:
535:. Retrieved
530:
517:
506:
495:
480:. Retrieved
446:
415:kindergarten
413:, the first
319:
312:
297:
277:
266:
258:
228:
224:
216:
214:
188:Octagon Mode
141:43°11′5.03″N
1060:Other areas
1020:Puerto Rico
854:Mississippi
769:Connecticut
156: /
132:Coordinates
1150:Categories
969:Washington
889:New Mexico
884:New Jersey
759:California
588:2024-03-26
563:2024-03-26
482:2018-02-01
426:References
300:grist mill
293:dumbwaiter
289:Dutch oven
979:Wisconsin
944:Tennessee
849:Minnesota
824:Louisiana
537:March 10,
489:2 photos.
177:Architect
1135:Category
964:Virginia
914:Oklahoma
894:New York
869:Nebraska
859:Missouri
844:Michigan
834:Maryland
819:Kentucky
799:Illinois
774:Delaware
764:Colorado
754:Arkansas
394:See also
200:71000039
121:Location
1081:Related
984:Wyoming
959:Vermont
864:Montana
804:Indiana
784:Georgia
779:Florida
749:Arizona
739:Alabama
417:in the
324:Gallery
247:History
227:or the
919:Oregon
874:Nevada
814:Kansas
789:Hawaii
744:Alaska
680:Topics
281:cupola
273:cupola
261:lawyer
1051:Palau
949:Texas
829:Maine
794:Idaho
527:(PDF)
487:With
285:eaves
269:brick
169:Built
1005:Guam
954:Utah
909:Ohio
809:Iowa
539:2014
215:The
172:1853
219:in
195:No.
1152::
581:.
556:.
529:.
475:.
461:^
451:.
445:.
434:^
317:.
310:.
735::
665:e
658:t
651:v
591:.
566:.
541:.
485:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
