McElroy Octagon House

The McElroy Octagon House is an eight-sided wooden residence on Gough Street with two floors connected by a central winding staircase. The building displays rectangular windows along its sides and represents an unusual architectural approach from the 1860s.

William McElroy built the residence between 1860 and 1861 following architectural ideas promoted by Orson Fowler in his writings about octagonal building designs. The unusual style emerged from practical thinking about efficient space use that gained interest in the mid-1800s.

The National Society of Colonial Dames maintains the house as a museum, where visitors encounter furniture and fixtures from the 1800s that reveal how wealthy families lived. The rooms reflect the taste and daily habits of that era.

Visitors can tour the house through guided visits offered monthly, learning about its architectural features and restoration work. It is helpful to check timing in advance, as access is limited to these scheduled tours.

During renovation work, workers discovered a tin box hidden inside an upstairs wall containing documents that identified the original builders and early residents. This unexpected find provided crucial details about the house's origins.

Location: San Francisco

GPS coordinates: 37.79778,-122.42639

Latest update: December 10, 2025 20:07