John Hosford House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Hosford House
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Closeup showing part of the porch
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 64 Sandusky Street, Monroeville, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1860 |
| Architectural style | Octagon Mode, Italian Villa |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001532 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1974 |
The John Hosford House is a special old home in Monroeville, Ohio, United States. It's built in a unique eight-sided shape, called an octagon house. This house is located right along U.S. Route 20. No one knows the exact year it was built in the mid-1800s. Because of its cool design and history, it has been named a historic site.
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The Story of the John Hosford House
Monroeville was first settled by people in 1816. The village was planned out the next year. However, it didn't officially become a town until 1868. During these early years, a merchant named John Hosford moved to the community. He became quite successful.
Who Was John Hosford?
John Hosford earned enough money to build a "fanning mill" in 1870. A fanning mill was a machine used to clean grain. By this time, he had already built his unique house. The octagon shape was popular for only a short time. People aren't sure exactly when the house was built. Some say 1856, while others think it was 1862.
A Unique Eight-Sided Design
Hosford's house is made of brick. It also has some concrete parts. Since it's a true octagon, it has eight sides. Each side has two windows. A veranda (which is like a porch) wraps around the sides facing the street. On top of the roof, there's a small tower called a belvedere.
Mixing Architectural Styles
The house mixes different building styles. You can see some Greek Revival ideas in the main entrance. This style often uses columns and simple, strong shapes. However, most of the house looks like the Italianate style. This style often features arches and decorative supports. The arches and braces on the veranda make it look like an arcade. An arcade is a row of arches supported by columns.
Inside the Octagon House
Inside, each floor of the house has five rooms. In the very center, there's a spiral staircase. This staircase connects all the floors. Around the staircase, there are four rectangular rooms. This layout makes good use of the octagon shape.
Its Place in History
In May 1974, the John Hosford House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places in the United States. It was added because its architecture is very special and historically important.
Other Historic Sites Nearby
The John Hosford House was listed just a couple of months after the first historic places in Huron County. These included the John Wright Mansion near Bellevue, Ohio and the West Main Street Historic District in Norwalk, Ohio. Two other buildings in Monroeville were listed on the same day as the Hosford House. These were the Seth Brown House and Zion Episcopal Church.
