History Tuesday – The Clapp Octagon House of St. Augustine
History Tuesday at Old Houses Under $50K is for informational purposes only and focuses on structures that were built for less than $50,000 back in the day. They are usually not for sale, and if they were, they would certainly cost way more than $50,000, like today’s featured home, The Clapp Octagon House.
Built in 1886 at 62 Lighthouse Avenue in the historic Lighthouse Park neighborhood, the Octagon House retains its historic significance as the oldest home built on Anastasia island, one of the oldest standing homes in Saint Augustine, the only surviving octagon house in St. Augustine and also one of the oldest standing octagonal structures in the nation.
The home was built for Rollin N. Clapp (1843-1928) and his wife Esther Dwight Clapp (1844-1917) of St. Louis, Missouri. Originally from Massachusetts, Rollin was a Civil War veteran who made a good living as a carpenter in Saint Louis, so much so that he was able to have this second home in Florida.
Later residents included Mary Antin, a Russian born author and activist.
Additional residents were Norman MacLeish, artist and brother of Pulitzer Prizewinning poet and Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish. Also Lea Wells, the first female architect in St. Augustine.
The Clapp House Through The Years
You can barely see it, but a topper railing in the same style as the second floor porch railing sits at the crest of the roof.
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You can see the top rail here. Also the house has been clad in asbestos siding.
The top rail is gone.
Today
One Comment
Robert Hix
Love this home