House moves to the Woods’, saved from demolition

A 74-year-old colonial style house was saved from demolition Tuesday after it was moved from its former location, 3231 Henry A. Wallace Road, just two miles up the road — to 300th Street — to a farm owned by Dan and Cindy Woods.

The house, fondly referred to by some as the Schildberg house after its long-time former owners — Marlene and Dennis Schildberg — was facing demolition if it could not find a new owner to relocate it. But, once Dan found out the house was on the market, he said he had to take a look. Living in the old farm house had been a dream of his since he moved to the area 50 years ago.

“All of my life I had gone up and down the road,” Dan said. “I’ve been by this house a million times. I told my mother, ‘I am going to live in that house someday.’ But, I never thought that would really happen.

On the market

The house was placed on the market in the fall of 2013 by Arden Kramer, who had purchased the house from Marlene Schildberg.

“He stayed in it one night,” Cindy said. “It just wasn’t home.”

Kramer’s daughter Melinda Skellenger and her husband Doug Skellenger lived in the house prior to it being put on the market. But, after the Skellenger’s moved, Doug Downing and his wife Michelle — Kramer’s other daughter — built a new house on the property.

“They didn’t want to look out their door and see a house on the property,” Cindy said. “So, it had to go.”

The house had a number of interested, potential buyers. However, the expense of relocating the house exceeded what some were willing to pay. The Woods had to pay approximately $4,000 dollars upfront just to enter into a contract with Alliant Energy to take down power lines which crossed over Henry A Wallace Road so the house could pass while on a trailer.

“So, the more miles you go, the more wires you go under,” Cindy said. “We just had to go two miles. So, for some, it wasn’t really working out.”

Everything and more

As a child, the stone work on the side of the house, brick chimney and columns are what caught Dan’s attention. But, it took five decades before he was able to view the interior.

“We just fell in love,” Cindy said.

Dan said his favorite room of the house is the kitchen, which features “lots and lots” of cabinets. Cindy said the entire house features a lot of built-in storage space.

“The roof has real wood shakes,” Cindy said. “The Schildbergs just did everything right.”

The house, without the basement, is more than 3,300 square feet. Dan said, the additional space will be put to good use by the children his wife cares for in her home daycare.

“There will be room to play and additional family space,” Dan said. “It will be nice for family dinners, as well.”

Moving day

After Ensor Movers Inc. of Johnson, Neb., finished six days of preparations for moving day, the Woods and curious friends and neighbors stood watch as the house started its journey 9 a.m. Tuesday.

As the house — in one piece — was being backed out of the lot, Alliant crews cleared power lines out of the way as Adair County Sheriff kept traffic at bay.

“It was a very solid house with nice chimney and nice architecture on it,” said Ryan Baltensperger, president of Ensor Movers Inc.

Baltensperger said it took about three days to cut concrete and masonry from the house and insert steel braces for the move. Two and a half more days were spent loading the house on a tractor-trailer.

“It went pretty smooth,” Baltensperger said. “It took about an hour and a half from highway to highway. It was 5:30 p.m. when it got set onto the hole where the basement would be.”

Now that the house is in its new location, Farmers Electric Cooperative in Greenfield and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association (SIRWA) will have to bring water and electricity lines up to the property. A septic and sewer system also have to be added. The Woods’ brother-in-law, Brad Waltz, owner of Brad Waltz Construction, will build the walls for a walkout basement and add the finishing touches.

“We’ve waited so long I thought it would never happen,” Cindy said. “So, now that it’s happening it feels very surreal.”

Now that the move is complete, the Woods are at ease.

“It’s a unique house and I just think it would be sad to tear it down,” Cindy said. “I just kind of feel like we did save the house.”