Have you seen all the tiny house shows?
You know where they tuck a bedroom under a 24″ space at the top of a ladder and build a dining room table that turns into a couch and bookshelves that you have to pull out to get to the closet and a kitchen sink that serves as extra storage.
And then?
They take the tiny house and put it on wheels and attach it to the back of a truck designed to pull that tiny house here there and any place next to Niagra Falls or the Grand Canyon or a river with a view.
And the tiny house moves on down the road.
I know. I can relate. I understand. Because this house? This farmhouse with its three stories and five bedrooms and a roof with a steep pitch?
It moved on down the road, too.
The house was originally located about five miles down the road next to the interstate. It’s almost a hundred years old and it was originally used as a boarding house that rented out rooms to people.
The details are kind of fuzzy, but about 40 years ago (give or take a few years depending on who you talk to), there was a highway expansion project planned for our corner of Kentucky. They were widening the interstate and clearing out space along the side of the road for the project.
And the house?
It was right on the edge of goodbye.
The house was scheduled to be torn down to make room for progress.
It was offered up for sale in the hopes that someone would fall in love with a boarding house with a steep pitched roof and rooms of old flooring and a history to match.
Someone did.
But it couldn’t stay where it was, the highway was coming to town.
So they went all tiny house and moved it down the road.
But to move it, they cut the house in half. Right down the middle.
Yep.Right down the middle.
Right down the middle.
Slowly one part of the house moved down the road, followed by the second half. They had to move power lines because it was so tall.
Everyone came out to watch that old boarding house take a trip.
It was the talk of the county.
Five miles, dozens of power lines, a parade down winding country roads and a trip behind a powerful truck later the two halves of the house finally arrived here.
After all that moving and shaking, they put those two halves back together to create this farmhouse.
Home.
Our old Kentucky home.
I’m so thankful for that highway expansion.
I’m so thankful for powerful trucks.
I’m so thankful for boarding houses with old floors and steep roofs.
And I’m so thankful every time I walk up that sidewalk with that porch waving at me and the front door saying hello…
…that this farmhouse moved on down the road. 🙂
I am so happy your house was moved and not torn down. I hate it when they tear down old houses and old barns! I'm still mad that they tore down a local barn! However, I can't imagine standing there and watching them cut my house IN HALf and it moving down the road! Can you Imagine???? And you certainly don't want to hear Oops! Aren't you glad you didn't see it happen?
Oh I bet that was a sight to see! So glad it got moved instead of being torn down. It makes me so sad to see these old beautiful homes abandoned and slowly rotting away. I wish I could save every one of them! Glad yours made it. It's beautiful and you are blessed to call it home! hugs, Cecilia
Your house looks so happy in its location. I am glad it was moved rather than destroyed.
Wow...what a story! I'm glad they put it back together, too! ;)
I've seen many houses & mobile homes being transported whilst I've been on holiday in the States. It's something you just don't see in England. Mind you are roads aren't as long & straight as yours.....
They moved a few houses in my town ... have you found any pictures of the house being moved? Such a great history to keep with the house.
That's so cool! Can you tell where it was cut in half, front to back or side to side.
Quite a history! such a beautiful house!
This happened years ago in our county. It was a sensation and the schools actually let the kids out to see it happening. It took days to get the house to its new location. I've written a children's book about it called "Home Again". Working on the illustrations now, I love this quote by Gladys Tabor..."Old houses do not belong to people ever, not really. People belong to them." Love your house's story. I knew it was special!
Oh my your story sounds wonderful! Will check it out!
I have this with small homes but never anything the size of your beautiful home. Wow!! That must have been something to see! I am so happy it happened - and happy you now call it home... I bet your house is happy too. Teresa
I can't even imagine how it must have looked to see such a house moving down the road. Amazing!
That's a big house to move. Thankfully this gorgeous house wasn't torn down and finally found you.
My parents bought a house in Old Hickory in 1950 and moved it to Madison. It was one of the houses they built for DuPont workers. I was born in 1951 and we lived there until I was three. My parents bought a lot in Old Hickory and built a new house on it in 1954.
my aunt bought her home at an auction and moved it to her property~ placing it right across the street from her old farm. Great memories and I remember the excitement of seeing that house moving down the road. Love your stories!
In southern Delaware, moving houses is not unusual.
My aunt had a really neat house, wasn't historical or even really old. A land developer bought her house and land and a local man wanted her house. They moved it down the road and now it's not even recognizable as her home. Her home was nestled into some hills and the new house is put on bricks, not so pretty all. Glad yours looks good, but imho those two trees need to go.
Love that someone decided to keep the house......just for you and your family.
Two things: Maybe this post will bring photos! Once our neighbors gave us a screened-in porch. My dad put runners on it and proceeded to bring it down the road. All was going well until one woman kept driving until she almost crashed into our future gazebo! When stopped she said "I just couldn't believe what I was seeing!" Lol
Now I know this house was meant for you because it has a story...YOU would have to have a house with a story. It just fits. Nancy
Love your house, what a thrill that it wasn't torn down. It is fabulous.
Oh, how I wish there was a photograph of the process!
That's awesome! We actually moved our house a couple of miles down the road. It was quite the project! Our house was a single story but there was a lot of work before it could be moved. I can't imagine moving a BIG house. :-)
Great story! PS. Love the back patio!
Home sweet home! I am so glad it is yours!
i just can't even imagine what that looked like? And, where was it sliced and how did they put it back together? How does one re-attach a house. What if the lines don't match? I just can't wrap my head around this.... need more ... sending love and a little laughter this week... laura
I've heard before about houses being moved but, wow, yours is a big one! Good story!
What an incredible story! I love that your Farmhouse had a future! An incredible one at that! Your house has endured, a true survivor! unfortunately the house I grew up in found a less favorable fate when our county decided to knock down our family home and my grandparents home which was right behind ours, as well as the home of several of our neighbors !
Such an amazing history your house has! I LOVE old houses. Our son lives one street over and bought a house that was a prohibition house with lots of secret hiding places. There also used to be a tunnel that ran under ground from his house to the one next door.
A couple bought an old home here in town to have it moved out in the country in another town. It took weeks to prepare the house for the great move. In the meantime they had a foundation built for their "new" home. Well, it took two days to move the house only to learn when they went to place the house on the new foundation - the foundation was tooooooooooo small ..... WHOOPS!!!!! It was fun watching the whole preparation process (removal of porches, boarding up windows and doors, etc.). I enjoyed reading your house move story. Jean McGee
What a great history for the house...so glad it wasn't torn down!
It was meant to be!! Love, love!!! xoxo
Oh wow, that must've been quite the sight! Did anyone give you photos? Were photos published in the local newspaper? Someone, somewhere must have photos tucked away in a drawer that you could have on display in a rustic frame. It's always great hearing stories about a house that was so loved it didn't end up in a heap. Now I've got Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi song in my head.
I did not know this story! That is so-much-more-than-close-to-amazing! I'm just shakin' my head here as I type. :-) I can TOTALLY relate to your first paragraph, as I live in a tiny home, lovingly referred to as My Wee Abode (40osf). (My blog will be launching with the same name... tagline: "Big Inspiration for Small Home Living". :-) )
Oh my goodness! The house had a wonderful story to be told by none other than our gifted storyteller!! I can't stop smiling, KA!!
Great story! Gorgeous home! Wonderful people living in such a gorgeous home with so much history! So happy that it belongs to you! You have shown it so much love over the years! KariAnne, thanks for sharing this with us today! Bless you all with lots of wonderful years making fabulous memories!
This house is so lucky, to be torn apart and put back together. Humpty Dumpty is so jealous.
No way!!! I can't believe you haven't told us that story before! Have you had any issues (with stability or whatever) from where they divided it? That's a pretty amazing story.
Your home is lovely. So glad the house was saved. Marilyn
We are all thankful that your house moved down the road and YOU bought it to share with us!!! It is fabulous and what a wonderful history!
This brought back so many memories. My husband and I bought a house built in 1900 and moved it. It has a 2-story main section with two large wings on either side. I was given the choice of cutting off the top story or cutting the two wings. We had a parade, too. So exciting to see them bring the 2-story section onto our property. The next day they brought out the other two pieces. My favorite story is hearing my grandfather recall tying his horse to the hitching post when he and the other young people of our small town would have parties. We've been in it over 40 years and have loved restoring it. We have lots of parties but no one needs a hitching post any longer!
Just like you, your house would have a story to tell and an amazing one!!
I love this story. My Old Kentucky Home was moved to the new town from the old town across our county right before the flooding for Kentucky Dam. I remember finding that wonderful home and watching it travel to its new home. So many wonderful stories those walls whisper I'm sure to it's new owners...one of my classmates who frequently shares on Facebook those rooms that bring a flood of joy and memories. Love moved homes! They are loved more than most.
How lucky you were. Your home has so much history and with each blog post you write. you honor it more!!! Thanks for a great story. Jane
Can you see my jaw? I am trying to pick it up off the floor!!
This is a comment.
Wow, did not know that about your house!. How exciting and adventurous. And it sure looks beautiful now.
I'm glad they didn't tear it down. What a shame that would have been. Your house is a darling.
I can only imagine how happy you were when you learned your home would be saved and moved!