Rich--Twinn Octagon House
historic place
The Rich-Twinn Octagon House is a historic place in Akron, Erie County, New York. This distinctive eight-sided house, located at 145 Main Street, was built around 1849. Charles B. Rich commissioned its construction for his fourth wife. She was inspired by octagon houses seen during a trip. The design reflected a national architectural trend, popularized by Orson Squire Fowler's 1848 book. James C. Twinn and Thomas Lewis built the structure. This is the only extant octagon house in Erie County from the 19th-century movement. On February 10, 1995, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Newstead Historical Society acquired the property in 1981 and restored it. Today, it operates as a house museum. A historical marker on site reads: 'The Rich-Twinn Octagon House has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior c. 1849.' This house preserves a unique architectural style from the mid-19th century.