Couple pack the house for move to the country

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Lots of people talk about moving to the country, but seldom does that mean picking up the house and moving it too.

Mary Anne Martell and Ed Harris did just that, however, when a convenience store went up next to the house they loved in Wellington. Twelve years later, they can proclaim both the decision and the move a success.

"All of the windows survived," boasted Harris, a lawyer who had misgivings as the house rolled down the highway.

The couple bought the 1923 American Craftsman Style home located on Cleveland Avenue in 1986. They quickly learned about its history from seller and longtime resident Jeanette Thimmig and others.

According to their sources, two brothers named Lathrop built the house from a kit brought in by train. A twin home went up across the street. One of the subsequent owners was known as "Dirty" Smith because he used the bathtub to store his coal all winter and wouldn't take a bath.

The character of the residential neighborhood changed little until Wellington started a late 20th-century growth spurt. In 1997, a gas station and convenience store became neighbor to the bungalow. A miserable Martell and Harris found the bright lights and late-night noise reason enough to leave their historic home.

"One day M.A. said, 'Why don't we take it with us?' and it dawned on us we could," Harris recalled.

The couple found a new location on 80 acres with a view of the Front Range several miles north of town. They also moved the garage to the rural property they now call "Alleged Ranch."

Moving day was June 2, 1998. It snowed.

The professional house movers were not deterred, however. The company slid the home onto big I-beams and headed down the road. From Cleveland Avenue, the house traveled over the interstate to East Frontage Road. It moved north to the Owl Canyon exit, headed west to County Road 9 and then turned north. The house popped and creaked and groaned.

"It was surprisingly emotional when they picked up the house and moved it," Harris said.

One advantage to moving an older home to an acreage on a hillside is the chance to build a new foundation, in this case a full walk-out basement. Martell and Harris took the mover's advice to have a big hole dug before the house arrived, situate the home over the hole and then pour the foundation to match. The house sat in a "crib" a foot above the foundation and was lowered into place three months later. Front Range Steel in Wellington built the beams and pillars that became part of the foundation.

Reported damage: a few cracks in the plaster.

Harris and Martell now live contentedly in a home with its original hardwood floors, a front porch with a swing and the company of wildlife. The home is filled with family antiques. The couple share a love for history.

Martell's family moved to Fort Collins in 1940. For a couple of years, her grandfather, Ace Gillett, owned both the Northern Hotel and Armstrong Hotel on College Avenue. The Armstrong has named its new underground lounge after the former proprietor.

Harris's grandmother, an antique collector, spurred his interest in continuing the tradition.

The couple also find their country home site ideal for their work and activities. Harris practices law in Cheyenne, and the retired Martell is a busy volunteer in Wellington and Fort Collins. To continue their passion for local history, Harris serves on the board for the Buckeye Community Club, where Martell also volunteers. The club is preserving the historic Buckeye School.

Adding up the cost of their land, a water well and the move, Martell said they still came out ahead. "You could not buy a house like this for the same cost," she said.

It was worth it, Harris agreed. "I definitely like living out here," he said.

"My favorite part is looking out the window and seeing 75 to 80 antelope," Martell added.