House Moving Day
Before the move
The first house in our neighborhood went up in 1906, a 3-story late-Victorian pile that was home to our town's leading doctor. Our much more modest-sized house next door, came along in 1908, followed by 4 or 5 similar homes built within the next decade or so. At that time, our neighborhood was considered the new part of town, with each of these spaciously-located homes situated on a bit of acreage.
Ready to roll
Some spectators
About 1912 or so, the doctor built one of these homes as a wedding gift for his daughter and new son-in-law. The doctor died in the flu epidemic of 1919, and it wasn't long before all his family had moved on elsewhere. A second family lived in the daughter's house for over 25 years. Then in 1950, they built new and sold the house to its third owners. This couple raised 4 children in this house, one of whom I had the great privilege of marrying a number of years ago.
Across the street
Along the way, different owners bastardized the house in all the usual ways: wooden porch replaced with concrete porch and pillars, portions of the wrap-around porch enclosed, ceilings lowered, aluminum siding and windows, carpets covering the wood floors, etc. But despite all these improvements, the old house was solid as a rock, built like a battleship.
Into the garden
When my mother-in-law passed away in 1995, the home place went to my wife's youngest brother, who kept the place as rental property until recently. He and his wife are moving back to our town. Initially, they considered remodeling the old home place, but soon decided to build a new house on the site. This presented the family with a dilemma, as everyone was loath to see the old house torn down, and perhaps just a little apprehensive as to how my wife would react. I actually took it harder than she did. In my view, it would be a sin to tear down the home. To make a long story short, they gave the house to my wife and we are moving it 250 ft. to the vacant garden lot adjacent to our home. These old houses do not last forever (though this one may very well outlast the new home replacing it.) The things we build are every bit as corruptible as we are. So, this old house will indeed one day fall into ruin. Just not on my watch.
In place