Rich-Twinn Octagon House
Why it's listed
Built in 1849 at the corner of Main Street and Parkview Drive in Akron, this two-story, eight-sided frame house was erected by Charles B. Rich, a local grain merchant and New York Indian agent. Rich and his wife reportedly admired an octagon house in the Hudson Valley and built a similar home on their return. The house follows ideas promoted by Orson S. Fowler, and it is the only octagon house in Erie County. It has a heavy timber frame, flushboard and clapboard siding, a hipped roof with a bracketed cornice, a wraparound verandah and an octagonal cupola. Inside, many rooms are pentagonal or triangular, and the first floor has marble fireplaces. Its Greek Revival details and very early Italianate elements add to its interest, since most New York octagons date from the 1850s. After years of neglect, the Newstead Historical Society bought and restored it from 1981, and it now operates as a house museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare and very early surviving example of the octagon mode in Western New York and the only one in Erie County. It reflects Orson S. Fowler's octagon house ideas and combines late Greek Revival features with unusually early Italianate elements. It is also one of the most distinguished 19th-century residences in Akron.
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 95000050, listed February 10, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 145 Main St., Akron |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | February 10, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1849 |
| Architect / builder | Charles B. Rich (builder) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th century; Octagon mode (late Greek Revival with early Italianate elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by the Newstead Historical Society after acquisition in 1981 and operated as a house museum open to the public; second-floor interior restoration was still in progress at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.02209, -78.49543 (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 95000050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7323153
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.