Thursday, June 05, 2008

Moving Day for Kiggins House: June 1. 2008 and update today

It was moving day and I just couldn't get myself out of bed. Finally, at 7:00 AM I dragged my body out and got dressed. I walked over to Evergreen and they had been at work for 2 hours already! The house was off the lot and into the street but not even 20 feet down the road yet. I patiently waited with others, camera in tow, as the tree trimmer moved from tree to tree cutting necessary branches off in order for the three story home to proceed down the street, around corners and to its final resting place 20 blocks away.


I got there just after they moved it off the lot and into the street. These three photos show what was left of the house area.







The truck with the Kiggins' House turns the first street corner, two blocks from original homestead.



The truck with the house has to wait for trees to be trimmed.


Can you see the tree trimmer climbing into the tree? He is a young man that has a safety rope around him and then he pulls up the power saw that is on the end of a rope separately.

Young men hauled the cut branches out of the street into parking lots where the tree shredder picked them up and cleaned up the streets after the house passed.

The power and cable company trucks were there also as some traffic lights had to be rotated and cable lines lowered to the street and boards placed over them so the tall house on the truck could go by. Then they lifted the cable lines again to their resting place on high poles and turned the traffic lights back into place, way above the street corners.

See those plastic tarps on the end of the truck holding the house? The young men spread them under the tires to make some of the tire maneuvering glide more easily.

I watched the slow process until it was time for me to catch a bus and go to church. When I left, they had moved down Evergreen to Broadway, two blocks down Broadway to C street,turned and went one block east, turned and went down hill to Mill Plain and crossed it That was 7 blocks of the journey of 20. It was 10:00 AM!




After church and some other errands, I went to the place I knew it would be if moving was finished and there it was, waiting to be placed on the cement basement that would have to be poured first. They had arrived by 2:00 PM the newspaper said. . .


This is the area behind another house that it will eventually be placed. The sand and gravel layer is poured and smoothed over.

This is the plot of land that it will reside on. The people that bought the old historical house will remodel it and live in it. They already restored the house in the front yard where it is going to be placed behind. The other side leads to a city park. It is only 5 blocks from where I live now. The same people already restored the old house pictured above and that will be in front of this one.

This is the garage that was left behind. I doubt that there would be room on the property for it and am not sure if it was a part of the historical 101 year old house. I will make weekly reports on the progress with pictures and captions.

Last time I went over there, the house was still there. I will go this afternoon and see if they moved it and take more photos if there is any progress.

LATEST UPDATE -- June 5, 2008

I did go by the place through the park and at the end of the park, this is what greeted me: More views of the house getting in place. Now I see that the front will be facing the grassy knoll with the freeway beyond to the east and the park to its left. The driveway on the west , which serves their current house, will probably be the driveway for this house which they plan to eventually live in. The big house on the lot was restored by this family; they live in it now and it is for sale presently.

View from the park.
Looking down into the "hole" where it will be placed.
View from the south.

10 comments:

dot said...

I bet that was fun to watch but if it was my house I would have been very nervous. lol. I think it will be quite nice when all is done.

Lilli & Nevada said...

I think it is always interesting to watch this kind of stuff, and makes you wonder all that had to go into do so. Great set of shot you got there.

Rune Eide said...

I have never seen a house being moved before. Very strange experience for me - but it looks like a nice house!

PS I have had many comments on what my picture is. It was taken inside a wooden sculpture on exhibition at the moment. I hope to post more, but the weather is exceptionally nice at the moment...

Cindi said...

What a great photo essay on moving a house! I really enjoyed it. I'm glad you'll continue to follow the progress.

Malyss said...

It is incredible to see that!quick,clean,efficacious..;and probably very expensive.I like the idea that the people do that to protect the old and historical house and to make it live longer;you made a very interesting report;
Mary

Lilli & Nevada said...

Paulie this is great i can't wait to see what it looks like all set up and the boards off the windows and stuff

Sharon said...

That is a very interesting move!

duopastorale said...

How absolutely extraordinary!!

Cheryl said...

Thank You! I was very impressed with your commentary and pictures of the move of the historic Kiggins House. Our office is located just south of the site and it has been nothing short of fascinating watching the daily progress. We've kept in touch with the owners and I am sure they have appreciated your efforts to document this unique occasion! Again, Thank you very much!!

Unknown said...

Hi ! As this is my sister and brother-in-laws house I was very pleased to find I can keep up with the progress in this way ! Keep up the good work !! Lynette Australia