Moving Buildings

I recently watched a television film documenting the relocation of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse.  Because shoreline erosion threatened the lighthouse, it was moved 2,900 feet from its original 1890 location, to a place where it will be safe for a hundred years.  When the decision was made to move the lighthouse, a year was spent in planning the move.

I was spellbound as I watched the preparations for the maneuver to take place.  When the moving actually began, the lighthouse was pushed along a track system as it rested on horizontally mounted jacks.  It only moved in 5 feet increments, then the jacks were reset along the grid beams.  The incredulously difficult undertaking took 23 days to finally place the lighthouse in its new location in July 1999.  I have tremendous admiration for those who have the knowledge to attempt such a feat, and then actually do it.

I've seen houses being moved and its always an amazing event.  Years ago, one of my uncles worked for a company that moved houses, and he often related stories about moves that were particularly difficult.  I've even seen houses being moved down the highway with police on motor bikes directing traffic, and I always marveled at the slow but sure progress being made.  Several years ago, a neighbor had a house moved from a nearby town to a lot across the street from me.  It was to be placed on the slope of a hill, some distance from the street.  To my untrained eye, it looked like a ticklish job and I wondered how the men would achieve the move without incident.

The house and workers arrived on my street in the morning, planning to have the house on its final location by the end of the day.  The street was blocked off preventing any traffic entering, and also preventing those living on our block from driving their vehicles in or out.  Aside from the owner, there was a man in charge with a crew of about 7 or 8 Mexican who spoke only Spanish.  It was a very hot day and the work was tedious, exacting and non-stop, but the work progressed smoothly; the men worked carefully and in a choreographed manner.  I was one of many onlookers and we all were impressed at how hard the men worked.  When the final push came to set the house on the planned spot, the men worked fast and furiously to place the house exactly in the right spot.  It was amazing how deftly it was done, And, in one day!