Last year when Caldwell's Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber purchased an old school house from Caldwell Township, the wheels began to turn. They thought about what the school house could become should it be restored to it's original charm.
Tuesday, the wheels literally started turning as the school house was transported from it's original location to the Brunhoeber property. Mike Brunhoeber said the operation went smoothly and the building was able to handle moving up to 20 miles per hour.
"That old thing was solid," Brunhoeber said. "We had no trouble at all."
The crew from AAA Structural Movers in Wellington had the building moved in about 30 minutes. Brunhoeber has not done any work on the structure since the end of last year because the work that needs to be done requires the building to be set back on the ground and wintery weather has been a set back. The schoolhouse has been off the ground, ready to move for the past couple of months, but now it is home.
"It's close to the road right about where we need it," Brunhoeber said. "We've got it setting on concrete blocks right now, it's kind of a more long-term, temporary arrangement until we actually get money to build a real foundation under it."
The Caldwell couple has a fundraiser going for the restoration project, more information can be seen at the website they have established, belleviewschoolhouse.org. The Brunhoebers are hoping the state historical society can get the Belleview schoolhouse on the Registry of Historic Places. Brunhoeber said that still might be a ways off.
"That takes awhile, they've got to come out and do a sight inspection and all that," Brunhoeber explained. "So that could take awhile."
“Awhile” is something the Belleview schoolhouse knows about all too well. The school was established in 1879. The Brunhoebers estimate the building was used as a school through 1958 and then used as a polling place for the Caldwell Township until 1998.
The couple is still searching for various items such as a Victorian era teachers desk, old educational pictures and maps that could be hung on the walls along with pre-1920's school desks. Another item the Brunhoebers would like to find is a bell for the school's bell tower. They thought a bell was located in an old barn but the search came up negative.
As the search continues, the restoration process is set to begin. The project is quite an undertaking, inside there are a couple of sections along the ceiling board that needs to be replaced. Patch and repair work also is on the to-do list for the inside walls.
"Depending on the weather, you know if we get a warm spell we can go out and repair the windows," Brunhoeber said. "...Caulking, and painting and replacing pieces of siding here and there would be exterior work to do."
This Caldwell family can't wait to get started working on the future of the past.
|
|
|
Last year when Caldwell's Mike and Valerie Brunhoeber purchased an old school house from Caldwell Township, the wheels began to turn. They thought about what the school house could become should it be restored to it's original charm.
Tuesday, the wheels literally started turning as the school house was transported from it's original location to the Brunhoeber property. Mike Brunhoeber said the operation went smoothly and the building was able to handle moving up to 20 miles per hour.
"That old thing was solid," Brunhoeber said. "We had no trouble at all."
The crew from AAA Structural Movers in Wellington had the building moved in about 30 minutes. Brunhoeber has not done any work on the structure since the end of last year because the work that needs to be done requires the building to be set back on the ground and wintery weather has been a set back. The schoolhouse has been off the ground, ready to move for the past couple of months, but now it is home.
"It's close to the road right about where we need it," Brunhoeber said. "We've got it setting on concrete blocks right now, it's kind of a more long-term, temporary arrangement until we actually get money to build a real foundation under it."
The Caldwell couple has a fundraiser going for the restoration project, more information can be seen at the website they have established, belleviewschoolhouse.org. The Brunhoebers are hoping the state historical society can get the Belleview schoolhouse on the Registry of Historic Places. Brunhoeber said that still might be a ways off.
"That takes awhile, they've got to come out and do a sight inspection and all that," Brunhoeber explained. "So that could take awhile."
“Awhile” is something the Belleview schoolhouse knows about all too well. The school was established in 1879. The Brunhoebers estimate the building was used as a school through 1958 and then used as a polling place for the Caldwell Township until 1998.
The couple is still searching for various items such as a Victorian era teachers desk, old educational pictures and maps that could be hung on the walls along with pre-1920's school desks. Another item the Brunhoebers would like to find is a bell for the school's bell tower. They thought a bell was located in an old barn but the search came up negative.
As the search continues, the restoration process is set to begin. The project is quite an undertaking, inside there are a couple of sections along the ceiling board that needs to be replaced. Patch and repair work also is on the to-do list for the inside walls.
"Depending on the weather, you know if we get a warm spell we can go out and repair the windows," Brunhoeber said. "...Caulking, and painting and replacing pieces of siding here and there would be exterior work to do."
This Caldwell family can't wait to get started working on the future of the past.
