The historic William Jennings Bryan home in Lincoln is getting closer to its move to a new location, with crews completing preparations for the massive relocation scheduled to begin Friday. Jamin Buckingham with Wolf House Movers, a Pennsylvania-based company specializing in moving large structures, says crews have spent considerable time preparing the home for the move.
He tells KLIN News workers installed support beams, raised the house several feet using hydraulic jacks, and filled the basement with modified gravel. They have also positioned 29 sets of specialized dollies underneath the structure and transferred the home’s weight onto the moving system.
Buckingham says crews are now conducting systems checks before beginning the relocation. He says the plan calls for moving the home away from its current location Friday afternoon, followed by additional movement Saturday morning.
Buckingham says the move will rely on a sophisticated hydraulic power dolly system that can be operated remotely. One primary operator controls the system, including forward and reverse movement, braking, hydraulic lifting and computer-controlled steering.
Buckingham says the equipment is designed to handle an enormous load. “We have a published weight of ground load of 1,175 tons,” Buckingham says. The 29 sets of dollies will work together to move the historic structure, with additional crew members serving as spotters during the operation.
The relocation is part of a project to preserve the William Jennings Bryan home while moving it to its new location in Lincoln.
(Photos: KLIN’s Chris Lofgreen)