Gilbert Stancliff House (1855)

Located in Portland, on Route 66, the Gilbert Stancliff House is an octagon house, a style that was briefly popular in the mid-nineteenth century and gets its name for its eight-sided shape. Octagon houses were promoted by Orson Squire Fowler in his book, The Octagon House, A Home for All. Very few octagon houses survive, with perhaps only 15 or so still standing in Connecticut. The Stancliff House stands side-by-side with another octagon, the Joseph Williams House. They are said to have been built for two brothers. The Stancliff House currently houses doctors’ offices. The exterior was refurbished in 2004, reproducing the original paint colors.