Henry H. Smith/J.H. Murphy House

The Henry H. Smith/J.H. Murphy House is an octagonal residence in Davenport with symmetric entrances facing all four cardinal directions. The structure sits above a raised basement and displays the eight-sided form that distinguished progressive residential design in the 1800s.

The residence was designed in 1854 by Willett L. Carroll, one of Davenport's first trained architects. Carroll embraced progressive building ideas that gained influence across America during the mid-1800s.

The architecture follows Orson Fowler's principles, who promoted octagonal shapes for residential buildings based on health and efficiency considerations.

The building retains its original structural elements and architectural details for firsthand study. Visitors can examine the unusual eight-sided form both outside and inside to understand how architects put experimental living concepts into practice.

This is the oldest surviving example of an octagonal residence in Iowa and the only one remaining in Davenport. The eight-sided design movement was briefly popular, but few buildings from this trend have survived to the present day.

Location: Iowa

Inception: 1854

Architectural style: Renaissance Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 41.52611,-90.56750

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:15