John S. Moffat House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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The Octagon House Museum
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1004 3rd Street, Hudson, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Andrews Brothers |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Octagon Mode |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000124 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 1974 |
The Octagon House Museum, also known as the John Moffat House, is a special eight-sided house in Hudson, Wisconsin. It is made of stucco and was built a long time ago. Today, it is a museum that shows what life was like in the mid-1800s.
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What is the Octagon House?
This house is unique because it has eight sides, like an octagon shape! It was built in 1855 by John and Nancy Moffat. They moved to Hudson from New York with their ten-year-old daughter.
The Moffat Family's Journey
John and Nancy Moffat traveled a long way to get to Hudson. They started their journey in New York. First, they took a train to Galena, Illinois. From there, they rode a steamboat up the river to Prescott, Wisconsin. Finally, they traveled by horse and wagon north to Hudson.
Hudson was a busy town back then. It was on the Saint Croix River. The town was growing because of its lumber and flour mills. Nancy Moffat's two sisters already lived in Hudson when the Moffats arrived.
John Moffat's Work
John Moffat had several important jobs in Hudson. At first, he worked for the United States General Land Office. This office helped manage land in the area. Later, he became a lawyer. In 1869, he was elected a judge for Saint Croix County.
The Octagon House Today
The Octagon House is now owned by the St. Croix County Historical Society. They bought the house in 1964. It is open to visitors as the Octagon House Museum.
The museum is a historic house museum. This means it is set up to look like it did when people lived there long ago. It is filled with furniture and items from the mid-1800s. This helps visitors imagine what daily life was like for families like the Moffats.
The Octagon House is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of places in the U.S. that are important to history.
