house moving

An article in the DMN today about the City of Richardson moving a historic house it has preserved triggered me to remember that I used to see houses being moved with some frequency. I have not seen one in years, however. Is house moving a rare thing now, or have I just failed to notice?

Dave McNeely

In urban areas its very complicated and expensive but I have seen large historic homes moved on a regular basis. Usually requires cutting into several sections and removing roofs and/or upper floors. In rural areas still fairly common and scores were moved for the construction of Lake Ray Roberts in the 80s. I suspect the same for the new lake in Fannin county. My own ca 1895 two story home in Pilot Point was relocated several blocks in the 1960s to make way for a Dairy Queen. A brick house on a concrete slab foundation was moved intact just down the street a few years ago. The large Santa Fe RR Depot from Sanger was moved across the dam of Ray Roberts to Tioga after the lake was completed in multiple sections. The most amazing sight I witnessed personally was a 3 million pound three story stone and brick structure moved through downtown San Antonio to become the Fairmont Hotel. I was eating at Denny's and caught the slow movement from the corner of my eye.

San Antonio

Dallas

Grapvine



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2021 02:25AM by M C Toyer.

Thanks for the comment, MC. I guess I have just not been paying attention. I have been aware of a couple of lighthouses being moved, without being dismantled. That must have been truly an amazing feat, and an amazing sight.

Dave McNeely

A fellow by the name of John Egert made it his profession to move houses and buildings after the
1900 Storm in Galveston. Some moves were for raising the ground level of the structure; some to physically
move a building to a new location.
John Egert, building mover and building raiser