Washington in Macomb County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Loren Andrus House
Loren Andrus (1816-1901) came to Macomb County from New York State in 1828. He served as an assistant engineer on the survey of the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal, but gained prominence in agricultural work. In particular he focused on the breeding of fine wool sheep, and he helped organize both the Macomb County and Michigan Agricultural Societies. Loren and his wife, Lucina, hired his brother-in-law David G. Stewart, a Macomb County builder and architect, to construct this house. Stewart built an Octagon, popularized by phrenologist Orson Fowler, who touted the Octagon as a spacious building form that offered healthier air circulation and an abundance of light. Andrus himself made the bricks with local clay. The house has an elaborate central spiral stairway that leads to the cupola.
Loren Andrus built Michigan’s most elaborate remaining example of the Octagon house form in 1860. In 1945 Detroit businessman Albert Schmidt donated money to the Detroit Board of Education for the purchase of the farm, which gave “city boys” practical experience in their agricultural studies at Wayne [State] University. By 1952 the 330-acre self-supporting farm had 90 Holstein cattle and 1,200 hens. Eggs were sold in green and gold cartons (Wayne’s colors) with the slogan “Educated Eggs from the Wayne State University Farm.” Despite the efforts of subsequent owners, the house eventually deteriorated and was ravaged by vandals and wildlife. In 1986 a nonprofit organized to save the house. The Friends of the Octagon continued to restore and maintain the property into the twenty-first century.
Erected 2006 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number L104.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Education • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 42° 43.051′ N, 83° 2.122′ W. Marker is in Washington, Michigan, in Macomb County. Marker is on Van Dyke Road north of Washington Woods Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located near the northwest side of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 57500 Van Dyke Road, Washington MI 48094, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Shelby Township Defense of the Homeland Monument (approx. 2.4 miles away); Shelby Township Purple Heart Memorial (approx. 2.4 miles away); Shelby Township Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.4 miles away); Shelby Township War on Terror Memorial (approx. 2.4 miles away); Shelby Fractional District No. 1 Schoolhouse (approx. 2˝ miles away); Kreager Farm Outhouse (approx. 2˝ miles away); William Austin Burt (approx. 2.7 miles away); Base of Operations (approx. 3.9 miles away).
Regarding Loren Andrus House. National Register of Historic Places (1972). State of Michigan Historic Site (1972). The house now serves as an event facility.
Also see . . .
1. Michigan Historic Homes: Loren Andrus House. Absolute Michigan website entry:
Made with bricks that Loren Andrus himself made with local clay, the Andrus house is Michigan’s most elaborate remaining example of the Octagon form, considered by many to be the first pure American housing style. The leading authority and promoter of these eight-sided wonders was Orson Squire Fowler who garnered a new interest in architecture when he wrote the book, “Home For All”. (Submitted on July 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. History of the Loren Andrus Octagon House. Octogon House website entry:
Loren Andrus came from New York to Washington as a youth with his parents in 1828. At the age of 21 he was employed as a surveyor of the Clinton and Kalamazoo Canal and later worked on the railroad from Port Huron to Flint. In 1841, Loren married Lucina Davis, who had also come with her parents from New York and settled in the area. Loren Andrus, with the help of his brother-in-law David Stewart, and using Fowler’s book, "Home For All" as a guide, began building his Octagon House in 1858. Most of the material for construction of the home was acquired from his surrounding farmland. Known as the house of eights, the Octagon House was completed in 1860. (Submitted on July 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 405 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.