Pictured above is Raymond's octogonal stone house, a landmark since 1868, before the old porch that nearly encircled the house was removed and the home remodeled by the present owners, Mr. and Mrs, Elmer E. Trlble. In the photo, made in 1907, of the home built by the Raymond pioneer. William Waterfield, are his daughter, now Mrs. Ray Lewis of Cedar Falls, and Mrs. Waterfield.

Raymond, Iowa — Unique in design is Raymond's old eight-sided stone house, and its history goes back to the days when the Dubuque & Sioux City (now the Illinois Central) railroad had just reached its steel rails thru pioneer eastern towa. The octagonal structure was built for a home, but served as an inn for travelers by rail.

It was completed in 1868, seven years after the road ran thru the community to Waterloo, according to the version of the house's history obtained by the present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer E. Trible. Builder and original owner was William Waterfield, one of the community's first settlers, who had come to the site of Raymond from New Jersey in 1856.

English Mansion Design. - The story is that Waterfield folowed the design of an English mansion of which he had read, and that also had been followed in a building he had seen in New Jersey.

It is possible, too, that he considered the angle that now would be called "publicity value" in selecting the design, with the hope of getling the place, and incidentally Raymond, mentioned often by travelers.

Stone for the building came from nearby quarries, as did much of the material for early-day building. With pioneer versatility, Mr. Waterfield burned lime for his mortar and did his own stone masonry. In its original state, the kitchen and dining room were in the basement, with rooms for travelers on the first and second floors.

Floors Rearranged. - The ground and second floors now have been rearranged by the Tribles, who bought the ^lace from the Waterfield family in 1910. into a more standard seven-room dwelling.

Mr. Waterfield's farm lay south of Raymond. His first house, according to a daughter, Mrs. Ray Lewis, 1125 Clay street, Cedar Falls, was imperiled at times when Poyner creek went on a flood rampage, so he bought additional land and on it built the octagonal house.

The original models were followed only in part. In the English original, there had been a secret passage within the mansion. In both of the models there had been interior circular stairways. The arrangement provided rectangular rooms, with triangular closets.

In its original state, the first floor had a hall and three bedrooms, and the second two halls, three large bedrooms and one small one, Mrs. Lewis said.

Mr. Waterfield is believed to have operated the place as an inn for about 10 years. Many railroad workmen, either improving or maintaining the new railroad, stayed there, according to Mrs. Lewis.

Mr. Waterfield later moved to Webster City, and died there in 1921, at 93. Besides the daughter, wife of a Cedar Falls grocer, is a son, George, in Minnesota.

[Waterloo Daily Courier, Sunday, October 12, 1941, Waterloo, Iowa]