Nissen House Celebration
Following a program held at the Lewisville Library honoring those who helped save the Nissen House, Dan Jennings (foreground) enjoys some refreshments while watching a presentation highlighting the house's relocation. In the background, U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (left) speaks with individuals interested in the future of the Nissen House.
On Sunday, February 8, the Lewisville Historical Society hosted a reception at the Lewisville Library to celebrate and to thank all those who have played a role in the relocation and the ongoing restoration efforts of the Nissen House.
Addressing a full auditorium, members of the Lewisville Historical Society recounted the various stages involved in finding a new home site for the Nissen House and in completing the relocation in January. The house movers, town officials, donors, laborers and volunteers who participated in a number of ways were individually recognized for their respective roles.
Among those in attendance were Michael Blake of Blake Moving Company in Greensboro, U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, Forsyth County Commissioner Debra Conrad, and Lewisville’s mayor and town council members.
Light refreshments were served at the conclusion of the program. While everyone mingled and enjoyed the refreshments, a slide presentation was projected, showing scenes of the house’s relocation process — interspersed with a variety of interior house images.
To see photos of the reception, please visit the Nissen House Celebration photo gallery.
If you’re looking for more Nissen House information, please check out all of the Nissen House articles featured on this website.
Moving History
Scott Wierman, President of The Winston-Salem Foundation, spoke with members of the Lewisville Historical Society after presenting them with a $25,000 check toward the Nissen House Restoration Project. LHS member, Margaret Lee, is pictured on the right.
Generous Gift
On Thursday, January 29, the President of The Winston-Salem Foundation, Scott Wierman, presented a $25,000 check to the Lewisville Historical Society for the Nissen House Restoration Project. A small group of the society’s members gathered to witness the passing of the foundation’s check to John Byrd, the society’s interim president.
The foundation’s $25,000 gift brings the total donations received thus far to just over $75,000, and serves as a hearty boost toward the $400,000 needed to restore the house to a historical state.
Looking Ahead
Excitement was in the air as the society’s members discussed the next phases in the house’s long journey toward restoration. Upon the replacement of some old beams underneath the house, work on the house’s foundation will begin. Bricks that closely represent the type made during the time of the house’s construction around 1876 have already been purchased and delivered to the property.
It Takes a Community
It was not always a foregone conclusion that the Nissen House could be saved. Yet many individuals, organizations and businesses joined together to save the house from demolition. Though the path was winding, solutions were earnestly sought, and obstacles were eventually overcome. That kind of vision, effort and cooperation comes from “community,” the kind that characterizes the people of our small but vibrant town.
Recognition and Celebration
In recognition of those who have contributed in some way toward saving and restoring the Nissen House, the Lewisville Historical Society will host an informal reception on Sunday, February 8, at 3:00 pm at the Lewisville Library. Light refreshments will be served. The public is invited to attend this celebratory event.
More Pictures
Meanwhile, if you’d like to see more pictures taken during and after the presentation of the $25,000 check from The Winston-Salem Foundation, please visit The Winston-Salem Foundation photo gallery.
If you’re looking for more Nissen House information, please check out all of the Nissen House articles featured on this website.
Moving Experience — Phase 3
Muddy boots (albeit artistically modified in the photo) are shown being worn by one of the Nissen House movers on the third day of the house's relocation efforts.
Mud, mud everywhere. Rain had fallen sometime during the night and had left the ground around the Nissen House wet and mushy on the morning of Monday, January 5. But at least it wasn’t raining when the movers arrived at the site around 8:00 o’clock that morning.
The day’s main goal was to position the Nissen House on its new footings. The truck, with the house attached to it, was sitting headed toward the back of the lot, and it needed to move forward only 10-20 feet more.
As was standard procedure, the crew worked to move the house a few feet at a time, tediously laying planks in front of each set of wheels, advancing a few feet, and then repositioning the planks before moving in similar fashion several more times.
Bulldozers on either side of the truck, each with a chain or cable connected to the house’s steel platform, were used to help pull the house forward. The specific goal was to align the steel beam at the edge of the house’s platform with a stake in the ground marked with a small red flag.
When the intended destination had been reached, the next step was setting up wood supports adjacent to each of the dollies, so that the wheels could be turned, allowing the house to be moved sideways and positioned properly on its footings.
Once the house was in place on the footings, the dollies were removed, leaving the house resting on the wood supports about five feet off the ground.
As soon as the weather permits, the crew’s next job will be to ensure that the house is level. After that, some repair work will be required on the underside of the house, prior to its foundation being completed.
But that will only be the beginning of a rather involved restoration process for the Nissen House. Volunteers will be needed to help throughout numerous phases of the process. If you’re interested in assisting in some way with the Nissen House Restoration Project, please contact Merrikay Brown, a member of the Lewisville Historical Society, at 766-5842.
To see photos depicting the various stages of the moving crew’s work described above, please visit the Nissen House Relocation – Phase 3 photo gallery.
If you’re looking for more Nissen House information, please check out all of the Nissen House articles featured on this website.
Moving Experience — Phase 2
This interested onlooker watched as the historic Nissen House rounded the final corner in the journey to its new home site at the corner of Lucy Lane and Arrow Leaf Drive in Lewisville.
Golden morning light spread across the back of the historic Nissen House early on New Year’s Day, as a small band of devoted onlookers braved the freezing temperatures to watch the next phase of the Nissen House move.
On this second day of the move, hopes were high that the Nissen House would be positioned on its new footings before day’s end. But the final trek down Arrow Leaf Drive proved to be a long stretch, in terms of implementing all the steps needed to move the house securely to its destination. When the operation was halted by late afternoon on New Year’s Day, the Nissen House was, however, situated on its new lot, not too far from its footings.
Weather permitting, the relocation process will continue on Monday, January 5. Be sure to check back here for continued coverage of the Nissen House relocation efforts.
To see photos of the Nissen House move on New Year’s Day, please visit the Nissen House Relocation – Phase 2 photo gallery.
One of the photos bears some explanation, though. The photo of the tow truck with its front off the ground depicts what the movers termed “power steering.” It’s how the truck that was pulling the house was steered whenever turns were necessary. Check it out!
If you’re looking for more Nissen House information, please check out all of the Nissen House articles featured on this website.
