A farewell for a well-known Wildwood landmark became a spectacle people did not want to miss, as a historic Jersey Shore home was saved from the wrecking ball.
Preservationists had sought to save the red A-frame house that sat at Bennett Avenue and Park Boulevard since the 1960s. The non-profit "Preserving the Wildwoods" was trying to find someone would be willing to relocate the house from the corner property at the Jersey Shore, where new condos will soon be built.
"This is a great day. It's surreal that this is actually happening," said Taylor Henry, a member of the preservationist group.
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Built from a kit, the home served as a clubhouse of sorts for years, but was never lived in.
The small house rolled out of town in two pieces, taking a 25-mile trip north through Cape May County to Upper Township. S.J. Hauck Construction did the job for a discounted price.
"We wanted to see it happen. You know, I mean, this is we do a lot of work in Wildwood. We know the landmark ourselves," said Steven Hauck.
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The home's destination: Ed Bixby's three-acre horse farm. After hearing about the beloved abode's potential demise, Bixby stepped up to pay most of the moving costs, and give the house a new home base.
"I feel like too many of these things get destroyed or ignored because people don't give anyone a chance to try to do it," said Bixby.
Henry said she approved of the home's new location.
"Still in Cape May County. And among trees, which is where it belongs, I think," she said.
Bixby described the current location as a staging area for the A-frame to keep it intact. He’s not sure what the future holds, but has some possibilities in mind.
"If we were to leave it here as a tack room, maybe we would do that. Maybe you could move it to another location. Maybe you could go back to Wildwood if they found a space for it," he said. "We’re not actively trying to sell it or anything like that."
