Octagon Houses - Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest

 This is the start of a new series on octagon houses. I'll add links to future posts below.

The John Richards Octagon House, Watertown, Wisconsin

Octagon Houses - Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest

In 1806, almost 50 years before Orson Squire Fowler launched the octagon house craze with his book of 1848, Thomas Jefferson built this exquisite design. Sited on a moderate slope with the entry at ground level on the uphill side, the main level rises above the surrounding land, giving views in every direction.

Poplar Forest - The Garden Elevation

 

The plan orients around a central, square dining room, surrounded on 3 sides by primary living rooms, and on the fourth by an entry. The central room is a perfect cube, 20'x20'x20', with a skylight. 

Poplar Forest - Main Level Floor Plan

 

The entry elevation at ground level, and the opposite end of the octagon, raised above ground and commanding a distant view, are both framed by simple and robust Tuscan porticoes. The perpendicular faces of the octagon contain storage areas lit by arched windows. 

Poplar Forest - Entry Elevation

Poplar Forest - Garden Elevation

 

Poplar Forest - Side Elevation

Poplar Forest was recently restored to its original form after undergoing many alterations and a fire. It is open to the public. Here is a link to The Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest, which owns and operates it today. It is located roughly 7 miles from Lynchburg, Virginia.

Poplar Forest - One of the salons

Poplar Forest - the central dining room

Poplar Forest - storage with arched window

Poplar Forest - Entry

 

If you have questions about Poplar Forest, please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

All the images shown are from the Historic American Building Survey. I have printed copies of the drawings, but not the photos, available at my eBay store. Please drop by and feel free to browse. In addition to Poplar Forest I have prints of many other historic American homes.

If you are interested to visit Poplar Forest it is open to the public and operated by The Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest. Full details are on their website. It is located roughly 7 miles from the center of Lynchburg, Virginia.