A Visit To The McElroy House

McElroy House Museum's Opening Times

Photo: Chronica Domus

Two Sunday's ago, with rain finally providing our town with a good drenching, and little to do at home, we hopped into the car and drove to one of the most unusual house museums in San Francisco.

The McElroy House is one of two surviving octagonal shaped homes in the city (originally five were built). The notion of building one's home with eight sides gained popularity in the middle of the 19th century when Orson Squire Fowler, a leading exponent of the style, wrote about the health and financial benefits gained from living in such an unconventionally shaped structure.  His book, The Octagon House: A Home For All, or A New, Cheap, Convenient, and Superior Mode of Building, published in 1848, lead to thousands of such homes being built across the country (2077 remain standing today), as well as places of worship and schools.  Thomas Jefferson was ahead of his time it seemed, being as he had already designed and built Poplar Forest, his octagonal private retreat, 42 years ahead of Fowler's publication.  I visited that home, situated in a remote area of Virginia, a couple of summers ago as part of a pilgrimage that encompassed viewing every building Jefferson had ever designed.  I recall the docent pointing out the benefits of the octagon shape when harnessing the cooling effects of summer breezes as they waft around the home, through large open windows and doors, arranged on each side of the house.  The fenestration of the home also meant that Jefferson had plenty of sunlight streaming through the structure, keeping it bright and airy, a definite advantage in the days before one could illuminate one's home with electricity. I imagine living in an octagonal house must hold many such advantages, but I also envision the placement of larger pieces of furniture against walls being one of the challenges.

The entrance to the McElroy Octagon House Museum

Photo: Chronica Domus

The McElroy House, was constructed in 1861 for William C. McElroy and his family .  The home sustained severe damage in the great quake of 1906, but was repaired and continued to be used as a family home for many years thereafter.  By 1951 the house was unoccupied and in a state of decay until the The National Society Of The Colonial Dames of America purchased it for one dollar.  Yes, you did read that correctly, a dollar!  However, the Dame's work was cut out for them as the society needed to raise enough funds to move the house across the street, where it presently resides, as well as repair it.  Today, the house acts as the headquarters for the California branch of  the society, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The cornerstone placed by The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in 1953 during the home's renovation

Photo: Chronica Domus

This was my second visit to the house.  The first, back in the mid 1990's, caused me great excitement, due to the enthusiasm of the volunteers who staff the premises (the Dames).  In my naive state as a newly settled Londoner in San Francisco, I inquired how one, such as myself, might join the society.  You should have seen the animated look on the faces of the good-natured ladies.  This was one club to which I was never gaining access!

My interest in visiting the house was to view the museum's collections of decorative arts, and to see the gardens in their spring-blooming state (in winter!).  There are very few places in California one can observe artifacts from the Colonial and Federal periods, and although the house is modestly scaled, there is a surprising variety and number of items on display.  Unfortunately, no photographs within the house were permitted so I cannot show you some of what caught my eye.

A pictorial of the interior of the McElroy House as seen in my copy of the September 1997 issue of the now-defunct Colonial Homes magazine

Photo: Chronica Domus

One can see examples of American furniture (Chippendale, Queen Anne, Federal), Chinese and English ceramics (Chinese export porcelain, English lustreware, creamware, Staffordshire), American and English silver and glass, oriental rugs, early American samplers, looking glasses, and various portraits and paintings.  One notable portrait was that of Frances Taylor "Fanny" Madison Rose, painted by Charles Peale Polk, the Baltimore artist.  Our very affable docent informed us that Montpelier, the Virginia estate of Dolly and James Madison, had requested the portrait of his niece be permanently loaned to them upon discovering its whereabouts. The Dames politely declined their offer with alacrity.

An impressive collection of historic documents related to the founding of the nation, bearing the signatures of 54 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, is housed in one of the rooms upstairs.  There are also many books on genealogy and American decorative arts in the small library.  Two further rooms (a child's room and a master bedchamber), complete the public tour of the upstairs area.

The house seen through the garden's magnificent blooming magnolia and camellia shrubs

Photo: Chronica Domus

The surrounding garden is a small corner of tranquility in the bustle of the city.  Mature trees and shrubs, many in bloom at the time of our visit, dominate the landscape.  When the house was built, a century and a half ago, this area of the city known as Cow Hollow, was practically in the country.  Today, one could easily drive right past the place and not notice it among the urban sprawl.

I hope that you too will plan a visit to this octagonal gem when you next find yourself in San Francisco.  To avoid disappointment, I recommend you check opening times carefully as the museum is only open to the public on the second Sunday of each month (except for January and legal holidays), and on the second and fourth Thursday, for just three hours (twelve noon until 3 o'clock in the afternoon).

Is there an octagon house in your town, or have you ever set foot in one?  What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of living in such a home would be?