Recent Move To Avoid Demolition
In the early 2000s the farm on which the house stood was acquired by a developer for a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, and the house was scheduled for demolition.
After some concerted and expensive action by the Roundtown Conservancy, the 480 ton house (minus its basement) was moved intact to a new location. In order to move the house, steel beams were inserted into the basement, bolted together on site to make a rigid base, and mounted on a hydraulic mechanism with 96 wheels in sets of four. The site donated for relocation was half a mile away, and the self-adjusting hydraulics were necessary to transport the house over uneven ground. The move took place on February 14–15, 2004, and was successful in avoiding damage to the brickwork and the fragile central staircase.
At its new site, the house was set on a concrete foundation which had been prepared for it. The Roundtown Conservancy plans to restore the building and possibly use it as a museum.
Read more about this topic: Gregg-Crites Octagon House
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