Tucked among the apartments of Cow Hollow, the Octagon House is one of San Francisco's most charming oddities. Built in 1861 by William McElroy, it's one of only two eight-sided houses still standing in the city, a survivor of a brief national craze sparked by phrenologist Orson Squire Fowler, who promised that octagonal homes would bring more sunlight, better airflow, and healthier living.

This photograph catches the house at the golden end of the day. Standing at a corner rather than square to a wall lets the eight-sided shape reveal itself, with each face turning a different shade of soft blue as the light fades. The cupola and cornice still glow warm against an evening sky, while crisp white corner boards, carved to mimic stone, stack up the edges like a column of piano keys. A glowing porch light, a flag at rest, and a pale blue picket fence complete a scene of quiet, old-fashioned welcome.

Moved across the street in the 1950s and restored by the Colonial Dames of America as a museum, the house now holds its ground on a block that grew up dense around it. On the wall, it brings warmth and a touch of whimsy to a living room, a study, or the home of anyone who loves San Francisco's Victorian past.

Only 12 prints will ever be made at this size. Each is printed locally in San Francisco on Hahnemühle Photo Rag, a 100% cotton, museum-grade paper whose soft matte surface renders the clapboard texture and the gentle evening blues beautifully.

Details

• 18 × 24 inches
• Limited edition of 12
• Printed locally in San Francisco
• Ships unframed, ready for the frame of your choice
• Hahnemühle Photo Rag fine art paper, archival quality