Waugh, Robert, House
Also known as: Sparland Octagonal House
Why it's listed
Perched on a hillside in Sparland, Illinois, this octagonal brick house looks east over the Illinois River. Robert Waugh, a Scottish-born dry goods merchant who settled in Marshall County in 1853, completed it in 1887 after buying the lot for twenty-five dollars the year before. Each of its eight sides is sixteen feet long, and the walls of common-bond brick rest on a limestone foundation. Inside, four rooms on each floor surround a central octagonal stairhall with a spiral staircase. A six-column wooden porch marks the entrance. Waugh's reason for choosing an octagonal plan is unknown, though a similar house built in 1856 about ten miles away may have influenced him. The house was listed because it is the only known brick octagonal residence among ten surviving octagonal houses in Illinois, and because it remains largely as it appeared in 1887. Andrew Aitchison, Waugh's business partner, bought it in 1913.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as the only known brick octagonal residence in Illinois, where only ten octagonal houses are known to survive. It also remains unaltered since 1887, unlike the others, which have additions.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78001170, listed October 4, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 202 School St., Sparland |
|---|---|
| County | Marshall County |
| Listed | October 4, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001170 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Waugh |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as fair condition and essentially unaltered apart from an added first-floor bathroom and interior decoration; used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.02928, -89.44019 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78001170.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7350903
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.