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COLUMBIA — “Move that house!”
Amid cheers and applause, the shotgun house began its gradual journey toward its final destination at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
- A worker from Mediacom lifts a wire so the shotgun house can fit under it.
- Workers from the moving company direct the driver so the shotgun house is not damaged as it is moved to its new location.
- A police officer blocks the road so the historic shotgun house can be moved out to its new location, the Boone Junction History Village.
Formerly located at 500 N. Garth Ave., the historic house was moved across town to the Boone Junction History Village. A shotgun house refers to a narrow home with rooms placed single-file one behind another with no halls.
A narrow rectangular structure, the shotgun house has been standing since the 1920s and was the first notable historic property in Columbia, said Mike Martin, one of its owners. He and Brian Treece*, the other owner of the property, bought the house in 2007 and have been discussing its relocation with the Boone County Historical Society and City Council for many months.
Workers labored for two days to get the house off the ground, Treece said. They installed cribbing to stabilize the structure and then jacked it up so they could push a trailer underneath it. A special foundation was laid at the History Village so the house could be backed in and lowered to the ground.
Dozens of neighbors gathered in the cold to watch the progress of the house as workers from utility companies hurried to move telephone and electric lines out of the way.
“Oh, I just love it,” Kathy Lee, Columbia resident, said. “It’s exciting to see a house move. I’ve seen it on TV but never in person.”
Across the street, Samantha and Kelly Vanengelenhoven watched from their house.
“It’s sad to see it move, but it’s better than tearing it down,” Samantha said.
The shotgun house, sitting on a truck bearing an “Oversize Load” banner, had some trouble starting its expedition because of low-hanging wires at the intersection of Garth Avenue and Worley Street. It was a problem at many of the following intersections.
Numerous police cars and construction trucks surrounded the house during the move to ensure the safety of the process. The workers deposited the structure at the History Village.
Martin said he planned to clean up the empty land, now strewn with rocks and mud, left by the house.
Show Me the Errors 
Comments
Why not get the City put a nice bus stop at that now vacant location?
The city just loves tiny micro mini park projects don't they?
Here is a prime spot for GetAbout,Columbia Public Transit and P&R to actually do a very useful project in the First Ward. Two bus routes intersect at that intersection already.
The lot is obviously to small for a normal size house.
Maybe even some kind of a plaque with the early history of First Ward included on site too along with an emergency phone.
Maximize your resources people.
That's Mike Martin's lot, so he and his partner will have to figure out what to do with it.
It's large enough for a cottage.
DK
I know it is Mike Martin's lot Einstein. I was just tossing out ideas.
If the city goes through with the plan of a side walk along the entire North side of Worley that lots will be smaller yet.
Do you honestly expect some one to live in a house the size of a 18 foot trailer just so they can have a yard and a car port in the middle of "the hood"?