Gregg-Crites Octagon House

Infobox Historic building
name = Gregg-Crites Octagon House

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caption = The house in 2003, in its original location on the MM Crites farm
map_type =
latitude =
longitude =
location_town = Circleville, Ohio
location_country = United States
architect =
client = George Gregg
engineer =
construction_start_date = 1855
completion_date = 1856
date_demolished =
cost =
structural_system = Brick, timber frame upper floor
style = Octagon mode
size =

The Gregg-Crites house, also known as the M M Crites house, is an octagon house located in Circleville, Ohio, on Route 23 just south of town. It was built by George Gregg between 1855 and 1856. Pictured here in a derelict condition, it was built on land acquired by a developer for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, and was scheduled for demolition.

Restoration

After some concerted and expensive [ [http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/case-studies/loan-funds/gregg-crites-octagon-house.html The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Loan Fund provided a $65,000 loan] ] action by the Roundtown Conservancy [ [http://www.roundtownconservancy.org Roundtown Conservancy home page, two links to Octagon House pages] ] , the 480 ton house (minus basement) has now been bodily moved to a new location. Steel beams were inserted into the basement, bolted together in situ to make a rigid base for the main body of the house, and mounted on a hydraulic mechanism with 96 wheels in sets of four. The site donated for relocation was half a mile away, and the self-adjusting hydraulics were necessary to transport the house over uneven ground. The move took place on Valentines Day 2004, and was successful in avoiding damage to the brickwork and the fragile central staircase.

The house was set on a new concrete base, and is currently being restored, possibly as a museum.

Layout

The house has an impressive circular hall with a central spiral stair. There are five main rooms on the first floor, eight equal bedrooms, and a small room in the lantern.

ee also

* List of octagon houses

References

External links

* [http://www.octagon.bobanna.com/OH.html Octagon House Inventory (Ohio page), by Robert Kline, a retired engineer living in Grand Rapids, MI]
* [http://www.roundtownconservancy.org/images/Newsletter%20Archives.pdf DID YOU EVER SEE A HOUSE MOVING? WELL, I DID! Roundtown Conservancy Newsletter, September 2004]
* [http://ohiopreservationalliance.homestead.com/2004MostEndangered2.html Ohio Preservation Alliance, 2004 Most Endangered list]
* [http://www.forgottenoh.com/Crites/crites2.html Forgotten Ohio website, photographs of the interior prior to the move]
* [http://www.forgottenoh.com/Crites/octagonarticle.html Timeline, the official magazine of the Ohio Historical Society, January 1989-December 1990 issue with cover story on octagon houses: scanned version on the Forgotten Ohio website]
* [http://www.thewritewordsltd.com/writingsamples.php?nam=history Saving the octagon house, article by Lisa R Hooker on her website]