Kenniston Hill Inn begins its journey
On Friday morning, Dec. 12, the Kenniston House defied centuries of inertia. After weeks of preparation, Jewett Builders moved the old house about 10 feet to the north to save an old pear tree. Over the weekend, further work will be done so the house can be moved across the street to Boothbay Green on Monday. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
On Friday morning, Dec. 12, the Kenniston House defied centuries of inertia. After weeks of preparation, Jewett Builders moved the old house about 10 feet to the north to save an old pear tree. Over the weekend, further work will be done so the house can be moved across the street to Boothbay Green on Monday. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
For over 200 years the Kenniston house held its ground overlooking Boothbay Center but, on Friday, Dec. 12, the Kenniston house made its first move.
Over the last two weeks, Jewett Builders excavated all around the house, hand dug out much of the area directly under the house and fitted steel beams and cribbing to ready the house for its move. Meanwhile, Steve Teel, whose family once owned the house, volunteered his time to the effort.
Mother Nature has made the work particularly interesting. Over the last two weeks, the region has seen snow, ice, sleet, hail, warm days, freezing days, high winds and torrential rain.
Last weekend, Teel removed the chimney and flues, as the rain poured down. Teel described a Mary Poppins-like moment when the umbrella he was hunkered under sailed away. Heavy rains halted work briefly this week. On Wednesday, Dec. 10, the newly dug “cellar” held more than a foot of water.
But by Friday, everything was back on track, literally. Just after noon, Jewett Builders slid the Kenniston House about 10 feet to the north, in a series of small moves and adjustments, to spare an old pear tree. Tomorrow the house will be moved to the east. Excavation will precede this move, so the house will be low enough to pass under electrical lines.
Don Jewett and Teel said on Friday the Kenniston house will make its final journey across the street to its new home at the Boothbay Green on Monday afternoon. Excavation of the new foundation at the Green had begun on Friday, and Teel said tons of gravel would need to be laid to support the tow truck and 125-ton house on Monday.
All in all, the old Kenniston house will probably travel less than a 100 yards to reach its new home, but it has taken a tremendous effort over the last two weeks to even begin the short journey.
Paul Coulombe had bought the Kenniston Hill property to create a new entrance to his revamped Boothbay Harbor Country Club golf course. Demolition was planned for the building, but local resident Susan Brackett organized an effort to move the historical part of the house.
This story will be updated with photos and video.
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