Eight More Octagons

I regret that Mr. Boulton did not stop by Clayton to inspect our nearly mint-perfect specimen (above right) , the only antebellum octagon house in Alabama, and the only true example of gravel-wall construction still standing in the United States. The house was built in 1859 by Benjamin Petty, a native of New York State, and had been lived in continuously by two families until 1981, when the town purchased it. It is listed on the National Registry. We have received grants for returning it to its original condition from the National Trust, the Alabama Historical Commission, the State of Alabama, and the CDBG program as well as donations from individuals. We expect to begin the restoration work shortly. We believe that our entry in the octagonal race is the only house surviving of its age, construction, and physical condition. None of the houses pictured in your article matches ours in these respects.