They say if walls could talk, we’d know the untold stories of our most beloved buildings. If the walls of Hudson’s Octagon House could talk, we’d hear several different perspectives—eight, to be exact.
The three floors of this historic landmark—the main floor, the upstairs and the cupola—taper upward like a tiered cake, each a perfect octagon. For more than 100 years, four generations of the Moffat family lived in the house and now it belongs to the St. Croix County Historical Society, which acquired the building in 1964. Tour guides lead visitors through the fully furnished rooms, each decorated with Victorian-era antiques. Tours also explore the garden house, home to 19th century tools and general store paraphernalia, and the carriage house, where the gift shop and research center are located.
Museum director Heidi Rushmann says all of the antiques at the Octagon House, from books to paintings to clothing, arrive by private donation. “The other day, somebody dropped off a meat grinder,” she says. Many items sit in storage, waiting to be brought into rotation as the museum exhibit changes annually.
&
Tours cost $9 for adults, $3 for students, $2 for children; visit the website for a schedule.
The Octagon House
1004 Third St., Hudson
715.386.2654
