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For the past 20 years, my husband and I have thrown ourselves into one renovation project after another. It has been a hobby and a business. Our renovations ranged from tiling the backsplash in our kitchen, to installing hardwood floors, to totally gutting and renovating entire restaurants and homes. Looking back, our biggest passion and obsession of all times has been restoring old homes. In 2006, we purchased our first large “antique”, a 5,000 square foot, two story, Victorian farmhouse built in 1904. Sitting on a former dairy farm in south Georgia, this old house became our home and our heart. Igniting our love for old homes, we were hooked. Old homes have “soul”. There is just something special about old homes. They embody all the elements to heighten your senses…the way they look, smell, feel and sound. Every aspect of an old home is just so unique. It is as if they have a story to tell. Apart from the “feel”, the actual quality of the materials used and the pristine woodwork is unprecedented. You simply cannot duplicate the superior craftsmanship in an old home.
In a million years, I never would have guessed that we would pick up a house and carry it down the street!
With every project a lesson is learned. As with most life lessons, the most valuable lessons are learned through challenges. This project was no different. The challenges were vast, but the result was worth all the stress.
History–The historic Jackson House was built in 1883 by William Reid Jackson, and his children continued to live there for many decades. Eventually, the house was passed down to the First Baptist Church on the Main Street in Greensboro, Georgia.
In 1988, the Jackson House was slated for demolition as the church did not have the funds for the much needed repairs. The Reynolds family decided to save and protect their family heirloom, stepping in to move and restore the historic landmark. Brothers Harold and Jamie Reynolds took on the task of relocating the home.
The Reynolds family was in the process of designing and creating a world class golf community, 15 miles away, on Lake Oconee. They decided this, too, would be the ideal place for their family home. They enlisted Atlanta-based historical architect W. Lane Greene to plan the move and hired Braswell House movers to move the house in sections to Reynolds Plantation.
The structure was deconstructed by removing the roof, the porches and the second level of the house. The first story was cut into two sections to make the 15 mile trip to Lake Oconee.
The Jackson House spent her first 100 years in downtown Greensboro. In 1989, the roof was taken off, and the home was dissembled in 4 sections to travel 15 miles to Lake Oconee
The $2 million renovation let Jackson House have new life as the iconic symbol of Reynolds properties and its hospitality, hosting everything from bridge games to major business transactions.
Fast forward 30 years and the beloved Jackson House found its fate in peril again. Since its first move to Reynolds Plantation, time and wear and tear had taken its toll on the Jackson House. The new owners of the Reynolds resort respected and appreciated the history of the Jackson House, yet they had to consider how the much-needed renovations would be extremely time consuming and expensive.
So, in Spring 2016, my husband, and I approached the new holding company and provided a quote to renovate the Jackson House to continue as a hospitality center. Soon, though, the company decided to forgo the idea of renovating and opted to simply sell the home to us, AS IS. There was nothing “simple” about the process. It took over eight months of negotiating a contract to acquire the home and the land where the Jackson House now resides. (Despite rumors and speculation, the details of the final contract are still undisclosed.)
Finally, in fall of 2017, the Jackson House was moved again to its 3rd and final resting place!
After several interviews with moving companies, we hired Wolfe Moving Company out of Pennsylvania to move the house less than a mile down the road. This time around, the house was moved in one united piece, all 400 tons and seven fireplaces, without even breaking a window! The Jackson House is a legacy that is determined to stand strong. https://www.wolfehousebuildingmovers.com/
Professional photos courtesy of The Pink Peach https://thepinkpeach.zenfolio.com/
We selected Wolfe Movers of Pennsylvania after researching and interviewing several moving companies. We could not have been more pleased- exceptionally efficient and always professional.
This particular Wolfe crew was a family of three brothers. The lead man/brother in charge was only 26 years old! It was a mammoth task and they handled it brilliantly. It took four weeks to prep the house for the big move.
In order to move the house in one piece, we had to disconnect and take out all plumbing and electricity. After complex mathematical calculations, specially-engineered steel beams, 60 feet long and two feet wide, were brought in to carry the estimated 400 ton load. The beams were strategically arranged to interlock under the house.
In order to place the beams under the house, the movers had to dig a “basement” under the house, then the existing stairs and foundation were carefully removed, piece by piece, section by section, to accommodate the myriad of steel.
Small bulldozers zipped in and out from under the house for weeks and a large crane helped place the beams. The house was ultimately elevated ten feet off the ground.
Every day, we would have new spectators (with cameras ready) come out to check on the progress. I was even told some of the salespeople in the office across the street would take their lunches outside just to watch the progress and commotion. It was quite a sight! 
Meanwhile, back at the landing place much prep work was happening there too. And as always, it was a family affair with my husband at the helm! All hands on deck trying to beat the clock. Everyone was knee-deep in mud and rocks trying to prepare the land and foundation for the incoming structure. Days of rain and a lack of reliable help delayed the land prep. Ironically, these were the same challenges that prevailed throughout the renovation.
My friends gathered for a sweet prayer and a mimosa toast before the official launch. At 9:00 a.m., the crew alerted the crowd that the house would be moving soon- a full .67 miles away to its new site!
Countless details and preparation went into this move. From infrastructure to public relations, this was a mammoth undertaking. Months before this pivotal day, we personally called homeowners along the travel route and informed of the possible inconveniences they may have. Mailboxes and power poles were moved, and the street shoulders were filled in and prepped to accommodate the weight and width of the traveling house.
Because there was only one way in and one way out of the neighborhood, a special road was cleared and EMC was positioned along the route in preparation for any emergency that may occur during those hours that the road was blocked.
The anticipated move was originally projected to take three to five hours, the actual time was over eight hours! Longer than expected, but it was an absolute marvel to watch.
A young man with an iPad and a joystick directed the dollies down the road. Hard to imagine a 400 ton structure was controlled with a remote control box!
The height and width of the house far exceeded what was planned. To remedy this challenge, the Arbor worked tirelessly along the route to cut only the necessary bushes and limbs. Christian walked along side them to make sure the house would not touch the branches.
As the road was blocked off, an impromptu block party came about. It became a major social event for the neighborhood. Neighbors were walking their dogs, socializing with friends and congregating with people they had never met before. Children were riding their bikes in the street. We even had neighbors prepare and share food along the route.
After 8.5 hours of inching down the road, the 400 ton house finally arrived on the lot. Much preparation happened before and much more after its arrival. The trolly made a large circle around the lot in order to carefully position the house directly over the foundation.
Once delivered, there was no going back and no making adjustments.
Maneuvering such an enormous structure took precise skill & calculations. The house was placed over the cinder block pillars. It “hovered” over the pillars for 60 days before being lowered on the actual foundation. This time gave the house time to settle and gave the cement time to cure.
Heidi, a good friend and the talented photographer who took all these moving photos, wrote this excerpt:
…As the house neared the property, I stood with Kimberly’s two boys and husband on the empty and cleared lot. Christian, her husband did his final surveying of the land and area. Their middle son, Colby came over from playing in the dirt with his little brother. He watched his Dad and observed him. They began walking away and I watched them walk away towards the house as it rounded the dirt entrance. I’m not the emotional type, but what I saw between father and son got me in the feels. I photographed them focusing on all the things we do as photographers, making sure the focus is in on them, hold the camera as still as possible, bend down for the right angle to include the house. As I scrolled back through the pictures on the back of my camera my eyes flooded with tears. A totally unscripted and magical moment had just happened before my eyes. It spoke to my heart. As you scroll through the pictures in this album at the very end, I hope you can imagine all of it in slow motion, as if you were there. Christian smiled at Colby and wrapped his arm around his son. Colby reached up as high as he could to reach over his Dad’s shoulder with his arm. They walked together, holding one another for a very, very long way. Colby patted his Dad’s back when he let go. I felt it in my heart and knew it in my heart. They knew it too and they were happy….
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