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Albert Potter Octagon House

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1867. 4 Carolina Main Rd.
  • Albert Potter Octagon House (John M. Miller)

The Albert Potter Octagon House was built after the appearance of the second edition (1853) of Orson Fowler's Home for All, which recommended the octagon as the most economical and practical shape for a house. Fowler also recommended concrete for walls, but this example is shingled, with bracketed cornices at the eaves and around the cupola, and unadorned windows throughout. An unadorned door opens onto the roof from the cupola. The quaint sobriety of this well-maintained octagon accounts for its character.

Writing Credits

Author: 
William H. Jordy et al.
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Citation

William H. Jordy et al., "Albert Potter Octagon House", [Richmond, Rhode Island], SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/RI-01-RI5.

Print Source

Buildings of Rhode Island, William H. Jordy, with Ronald J. Onorato and William McKenzie Woodward. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004, 427-427.

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