Robert Waugh House, Octagon house in Sparland, Illinois, US.
Robert Waugh House is an octagonal residence in Sparland, Illinois, positioned on a hillside near the Illinois River. Each of its eight exterior walls measures 16 feet, with interior pie-shaped rooms arranged around a central staircase, complemented by three gabled dormers and a hexagonal front porch.
Robert Waugh, an immigrant born in Scotland, built this brick residence in 1887 after establishing himself as a shopkeeper in the community. The construction method reflected uncommon building practices for octagonal homes during that period.
The octagonal shape reflects a 19th-century trend where homeowners sought alternatives to traditional rectangular rooms. Walking through the interior reveals how the pie-shaped layout creates an unusual flow between spaces that curves naturally around the central staircase.
The building is visible from outside and its distinctive octagonal shape makes it easy to spot as you approach the address. The elevated hillside location provides good views of the structure and the surrounding landscape.
Among the ten octagon houses still standing in Illinois by 1978, this one was the only one built entirely of brick. This solid construction method made it more resistant to weather than the wooden alternatives that were more common during that era.
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