Ever Seen An Octagonal Brick Home
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In the 1850's Orson Spire Fowler championed the building of octagonal houses as being cheaper to build, having 20 percent more space around the perimeter, being easier to heat and cool, and in general providing a "healthier" environment with good air circulation. A few thousand octagonal houses were built over the next few decades, mostly in the Midwest and parts of Canada. It's estimated that about 2,000 of those houses are still standing.
Mike and Marie Brockway live in one of them in Homer, Mich. The fifth generation home has gone through extensive interior remodeling, but the brick exterior looks pretty much as is it did when it was built more than 150 years ago.
Each of the 8 walls is 22 ft. long. The house has 14 rooms, two stories and an attic with 5-ft. eaves. The windows are original.
"I was born in the same room my dad was born in," Brockway says. "One of the reasons the structure has stayed in good condition is because it's built on a gravel and clay foundation with field stone basement walls."
His predecessors owned a brick kiln and made a living making bricks, farming and doing other types of work. Brockway says his ancestors were adventurous and always open to new ideas. The building actually has three brick walls (totaling 16 in. thick) with air spaces in between. The interior wall is plastered.
Fowler's design had a flat roof to collect rainwater into built-in cisterns. Flues, air ducts and even speaking tubes were built into the thickness of the walls.
Brockway notes that the house stays fairly cool in the summer.
"We'd like to hear from anyone else with a brick octagonal home," Brockway says.
He's found concrete and wood octagonal homes in his area, but not brick.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mike Brockway, 6284 26 Mile Road, Homer, Mich. 49245 (ph 517 568-3532).
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Ever Seen An Octagonal Brick Home AG WORLD Ag World In the 1850 s Orson Spire Fowler championed the building of octagonal houses as being cheaper to build having 20 percent more space around the perimeter being easier to heat and cool and in general providing a healthier environment with good air circulation A few thousand octagonal houses were built over the next few decades mostly in the Midwest and parts of Canada It s estimated that about 2 000 of those houses are still standing Mike and Marie Brockway live in one of them in Homer Mich The fifth generation home has gone through extensive interior remodeling but the brick exterior looks pretty much as is it did when it was built more than 150 years ago Each of the 8 walls is 22 ft long The house has 14 rooms two stories and an attic with 5-ft eaves The windows are original I was born in the same room my dad was born in Brockway says One of the reasons the structure has stayed in good condition is because it s built on a gravel and clay foundation with field stone basement walls His predecessors owned a brick kiln and made a living making bricks farming and doing other types of work Brockway says his ancestors were adventurous and always open to new ideas The building actually has three brick walls totaling 16 in thick with air spaces in between The interior wall is plastered Fowler s design had a flat roof to collect rainwater into built-in cisterns Flues air ducts and even speaking tubes were built into the thickness of the walls Brockway notes that the house stays fairly cool in the summer We d like to hear from anyone else with a brick octagonal home Brockway says He s found concrete and wood octagonal homes in his area but not brick Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mike Brockway 6284 26 Mile Road Homer Mich 49245 ph 517 568-3532
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