''Whoa!''... I yelled loudly realizing the house was gaining speed rolling down the long hill...This was the early 1970's and while LEARNING house moving and house raising, Kansas became the training ground. ''No Brakes!'' Dad yelled as he frantically pumped the brake pedal. The house weight and grade of the hill were to great for the truck brakes to slow the house down. There was no choice but to ride it out to the bottom. I clung tightly to the handle while standing on the step outside the drivers door. The thirty foot wide house followed closely behind. Driver Dad gripped the steering wheel tight until the house finally coasted to a stop at the bottom of the hill.
While the early years were the learning years, several worthwhile projects were accomplished. These are pictures of a log cabin moved to Old Shawnee Town and Railroad depot moved for the city of Parkville.
During the early years of house moving and house raising, Lawrence KS. was a town we also looked at to do business. The university environment and abundance of older houses was appealing and house moving and house raising, Lawrence, KS style, became our goal. We ended up buying lots of equipment from a retired house mover from Lawrence.
As we continued to practice house moving and house raIsing, Kansas was a good place to get started. However, there was a state to our east, and job opportunities eventually presented themselves there.
|
