The Story of Willa

[@AuntieBrennie]

Awesome that you were able to move Willa. Love seeing your Furbaby Coworkers! In the early 90s, I was on my way to Church and I looked to my left and watched in awe… a gorgeous early 1900s 4-story apartment bldg was slowly being moved three blocks North! She now rests in her new home on the same street! They moved over a dozen homes that surrounded the Oregon Capitol Bldg. Those that weren’t moved were converted into State Office Bldgs. B~}

[@Country_Girl63]

I completely agree! I am so saddened by the way that historical homes, and buildings are just discarded like yesterday's trash! Cities and towns throughout America are just erasing history, and it should never happen! Thank you so much for saving Willa!

[@erinkelly2834]

I love that you kept the old house in your intro. She will always be apart of your story 💕

[@OurRestorationNation]

It really seems fitting. We use Louise in our logo as well.

[@willaborge4824]

My name is Willa...I love old houses and love to watch them be restored. I am so glad that "Willa" is going to be loved for years to come. I am eagerly waiting for the next installment of my namesake house! Thank you for saving her.

[@Vykf88]

I so enjoyed your history about Willa! Can’t wait to see all the creative work you will put into this project you guys are so amazing. I love watching your videos step by step!

[@MB-vw5pw]

Every time you were moving your hand your dog was moving her/his paws with you lol , so precious ❤️

[@karanbumann9434]

I love what you are doing. Keep on being the great people you are! ❤️

[@OurRestorationNation]

Thank you so much!

[@christichristenson8187]

I’m so excited to have found you!! Can’t wait to watch this process:)

[@bettybell3876]

Educational like the way you look at restorative of our history. Our history actually predicts our future. In my humble opinion. My family came from Colorado. Trinidad, Colorado is my family hometown. From family members being in public office. To recently a family member being given the metal of honor. I cry looking at the Victorian homes being torn down. My family home still(Trinidad) stands and I pray someday I will be able to purchase it back into the Fox and Cushing family. Thank you for what you are doing.

[@sjrkleb]

I love what you are doing. I agree wholeheartedly with you. We have absolutely lovely old buildings in Pietermaritzburg South Africa and it’s so sad to see them fall apart from neglect. It would break my heart to drive past them, in a now unsafe part of the town of Pietermaritzburg. Well done to you for saving these lovely old homes.

[@edithd4613]

That was a really interesting talk about moving houses and the whole land/structure argument. Learned some interesting things for sure. I'm with y'all in terms of saving the structure in a similar context. Especially when you think about sea levels rising and all the important buildings on the Louisiana coast, etc. Cannot wait to see Willa actually being moved, yay! (Also we have 2 dogs so canine comments are always enjoyed!)

[@marymathis9299]

I live in a 1900 farm house here in Florida and it was moved more than 3 miles back in 1955 and has stood the test of time, as well as Hurricane Michael!!! 💨🌊💦🏖🏠⛱ We understand there have been other storms, but Michael was the worst with winds higher than a cat. 5! Its very steep roof and very large beams (2x12”) is for sure a major factor that it was only minimally damaged in spite of 3 trees coming down on one side of the house! 😬😳😱...👍😁☀️

[@gracesoloman303]

Hopefully you will can't wait to see how this plays out. We moved a Dr's home and went thru it here in GA too ! Excited to watch this one.

[@sacredlovetarot1971]

I am absolutely so excited that Willa will occupy her cousins property... and I am so very happy that you guys thought to keep the families history alive.. I can not wait to go on this journey with you.. so happy for you both and so excited to be a pat of the Our restoration nation family :)

[@carlyherbert]

Y’all are some of my favorite people. I love all you stand for and I’m so glad Willa is in such good hands!!! Thanks for taking us along on all your adventures! ❤️

[@OurRestorationNation]

That's sweet. Thank you so much!!

[@rosemason2071]

I grew up crawling under the fence that separated it from my school. During recess we would slip under the fence and played there. My uncle who was married to Jewell Willie White lived there for a few years.

[@bethmann3283]

Ok, I have to pause and laugh!!! I can't focus on what you're saying because I'm too busy laughing at the dog who is slapping you with his paw to keep petting him, lol!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰. Ok.... Back to the video 🤣

[@OurRestorationNation]

That's a Tank for you.

[@twistoffate4791]

Beth Mann, Same. I have three dogs that do the same thing.

[@nightwindswings]

I grew up in San Jose California( okay actually Cupertino but close enough) You know how fast land use changes in Big Cities. So San Jose made a park of historic homes and structures that they moved and have made a mi I city. If you’re ever in San Jose go to the San Jose historical park.

[@nightwindswings]

www.historysanjose.org/wp/

[@saraa3418]

I grew up outside of Richmondtown Restoration in Staten Island, NY and I can remember them moving houses from other parts of the island on to the Restoration to preserve/restore them when I was a kid. The houses they were interested in were from 1700s-1830, I believe. Mystic Seaport in CT also features several moved houses, but unfortunately not every old house can be moved into a living history area.

[@lisaknell1809]

I love Willa and am glad that she and Louise are relatives! Can’t wait until you move her to her permanent home and start restoration! One question, I was under the impression that you were going to restore Helen? If so, you guys are going to be busy bees!!

[@OurRestorationNation]

You’re right. We will be working on both at the same time. So we will be very, very busy😁😬

[@lisaknell1809]

@@OurRestorationNation oh my goodness! I wish I had your energy!!

[@johnje4285]

Do you know that in 1972 the Elizabethan Ballingdon Hall was moved half a mile up the hill in Sudbury, Suffolk, England. It recently sold for £1.9m

[@michaelhealy1590]

You make so much sense!

[@jennamcintyre9657]

From the UK and had no idea you could move a house. Was so confused until you explained it lol I thought you had to take it all apart and rebuilt it 😂 so interesting!

[@twistoffate4791]

I had a friend whose father had their house moved from a different site. He asked the Amish crew if they had insurance. They said no, but they could offer him assurance they'd been moving houses for a long time. So he let them move his house and all went well.

[@Bobrogers99]

In the UK, many homes are made from brick and block and are not easily moved, which is why you don't see it happen often there.

[@jeanbaker2087]

Laine, you would go crazy in Australia! Their cities are destroying beautiful homes built in the 1800s and early 1900s to build new apartments or businesses. A lot of these homes have historic relevance and should have been saved. Most of them are built with local stone and brick, so moving them might be a problem. I tour these homes on KZbin channel called Urbex Indigo. Gorgeous ceiling medallions and archways and sometimes beautiful windows to die for. THESE HOMES HAVE HISTORIC VALURE SEEPING THROUGH THEIR CRACKS. It is so sad. What you do in restoration is wonderful! Jeannie in Texas.

[@amycavin168]

Love your passion almost as much as I love your common sense!

[@crystallucas2564]

I want the willa house seriously !!!

[@melissasmith4880]

I live in Newfoundland Canada, houses would be moved by floating them in the ocean from one community to another. Newfoundland is an island, livelihoods were made through fishing so communities were close to the water. Not something you see now but many houses were moved that way many years ago.

[@amysbees6686]

Unbelievably brilliant! I've followed Louise's story from the very beginning when we spoke of it on Old House Dreams through to your purchase, to her unfortunate end. I wonder if dear Louise gave her life for Willa, her "sister," a sacrifice beyond noble! I was shocked and still hurt to think of Louise going up in smoke. I feel such a sense of this being just "right," Willa moving to Louise's foundation! I'm so glad to hear this process is moving forward. I may be an amateur architectural historian, but I have to agree with you. Certainly the setting ("in situ") matters, especially when archeological context comes into play. That being said, what is left of the original site of a structure if it's all covered in asphalt or concrete? My own house (c. 1859) has lost its context to its site, most of my backyard having been paved/built upon. I have NO idea where my outhouse was! No one could find it! There is a well, and a garbage dump behind the garage, but anything else is obliterated.

[@cjsadman3750]

I'm hoping Americans will stop trying to destroy our historical buildings , thank you so much for your participation in preservation, of some historic buildings! ❤

[@maryellenmcinnis7693]

So if the land around the structure is so important along with its use how in the world do the authorities allow banks, grocery stores, storage centers and major roads to encroach that sacred land the structure is sitting upon. That land isn’t keeping its original intent. The building certainly isn’t sitting on all of its original land.

[@rosemason2071]

Actually it is. It sits on a corner. The city built a park around it. The school property where i went through 8th grade is behind it. The citizens of Louisville chose to tear down my school instead of restoring it. Now years later they have built a new school on the imprint of the old one. It is surprising to me that my home town didn’t tear down this house as they have so many others. Their thinking is it is easier and cheaper to tear down and build new instead of saving the old.

[@kamicrum4408]

People who have zero respect for history aloww that to happen!, at least a bulldozer wasnt called in.

[@juliehare3403]

So excited you were given the opportunity to bring Willa back to life!! Were y'all able to salvage anything from Louise? Will any of it be used in Willa? Has Louise been demolished? Will you be able to utilize the piers of Louise for Willa? This is so interesting to me and I truly admire your passion about restoration as I hold the same principles.

[@OurRestorationNation]

Louise has been razed but we salvaged a great deal along the way. We will be reusing many of the bricks for the piers.

[@inhale3384]

I ❤️the way you think! I got married in a Victorian home that had been moved, sat for a long time, before it was restored into a beautiful B &B. It was own by the City, before it was moved to its new location. It is still going strong, unlike my marriage. 😉 I will always cherish my Victorian style wedding in an old Victorian home in Los Angeles.

[@tfibby14]

They don’t move houses in south America either! I love to see y’all back at it 🤍

[@TheAnetmusik]

Omg! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Eternally suspicious? Thank you for that. You'll never know how much I needed that. I've recently discovered your channel. You are a pleasure to watch and learn from. 😀 Question.... are those dogs or very small cuddly house lions?

[@OurRestorationNation]

Welcome Anet. Some days they’re lions others teddy bears😀

[@TheAnetmusik]

@@OurRestorationNation 😀❤❤❤❤❤ Thank you!

[@toniasalways]

Laine, your hands are a dead giveaway that you do the work we see you doing in the videos.

[@hsimpson6581]

all that nice brickwork under the porch will it be lost ? I always thought pour a foundation to ground level and brick from ground up so it looks the same.

[@OurRestorationNation]

We’ll put it right back on exactly the same- even the brick skirting

[@johngiampapa]

I’m excited about Willa, she is a beauty like Louise and you have a nice head start because she appears to be in much better condition! Random question, did you tarp the roof to try and reduce the water intrusion or is it not even worth it? I’m VERY excited about this project, like I was with Louise! Thank you for all you do! - John

[@OurRestorationNation]

We just finalized the purchase a week ago and my first call was to a roofer to try and get a tarp on there. Hopefully that will happen in the next couple of days.

[@loribragg2947]

I’m wondering if the laws differ from state to state regarding what is considered worthy to include on the National Register of Historic Buildings?🤔 There is a mansion that was completely dismantled, moved across the Apalachicola River, and reassembled (near Torreya State Park). I toured the home about 20 years ago; I’m pretty sure it’s on the National Historic Register, even though it was moved.

[@strngenchantedgirl]

If you don’t move some of these houses they will be destroyed. Either by being demolished or by being turned into a dentist’s office or storage. Most older homes aren’t of historical significance but that doesn’t mean they don’t have value. These homes need to be kept as homes people want to live in. So they need to be updated with modern plumbing and electrical and they need to be in areas where people want to live. So I’m 100% in favor of moving something if it can’t be preserved where it is.

[@dwightlindgron4657]

Willa is moving to Louise site which is still within the family history.

[@terrythomas2735]

Indifference is the problem with America it only matters if it matters to me he should matter to everyone because we are America and we should be proud of our history good or bad be proud that we are who we are today and I totally agree with you guys about taking the house and put it on property owned by the same people that owned at home in the beginning it just makes common sense and helps the people that owned the other property it’s a win-win situation it’s not gonna fall apart you’re right.

[@panda5122]

Yes! Dirt had potential but dirt changes use over time.

[@panda5122]

*has

[@faithgirton9388]

Any updates on Willa?

[@OurRestorationNation]

We think we have a plan solidified but it will likely be 6 months or more before we put those into motion.

[@faithgirton9388]

Wishing all the encouragement and support and Prayers!!

[@src4409]

Yes! Save what you can!! If it's between tearing the house down because it sits in the middle of a city and can't be used, or moving it to a residential area or piece of rural land and save the historical house...I say save the house... no one cares about the land unless it's like the birth place of Lincoln or something.

[@Cheesybiscuit404]

What is the neighborhood in Illinois? I live in Champaign and we have a school that needs expanding so they demolished an enormous old mansion and a lot of old homes are being bought out for building apartments for students

[@IamSquirrel]

What breed of dog are those? They are so cute.

[@OurRestorationNation]

They are Pomeranians. A really sweet breed

[@IamSquirrel]

@@OurRestorationNation They melted my heart. I enjoy watching your restoration videos. Willa is a cool old house.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Agreed! Move the houses. Don't be stupid. With your head up in lock.

[@markjohnston3502]

Update on Willa? Has she been moved yet? Reno progress?

[@OurRestorationNation]

Still getting permits. We’ve moved on to a new house mover now.

[@kerrymain1623]

Is a home in usa on a register same as a grade listed home in uk ours it's only the property not ground ? Grade listed preserves homes that are important structurally there are diff grades 1,2,3 etc 1 you can't change anything structurally or cosmetically inside or out with out consent and checks by an official and all need be as close to original done close to original ways with original materials grade 2 u can change inside but not outside of the home and the higher the grade less restrictions on what you can change or do and they they mostly homes (I'm not talking about English heritage and their stately home and castles I'm talking regular homes)

[@OurRestorationNation]

No, sadly not the same at all

[@kerrymain1623]

@@OurRestorationNation ours really don't really matter bout where it situated its the house thst counts some folks don't like grade listed homes as it can be soo restrictive sadly

[@130sutphen]

Willa is my favorite because that is my name WILLA

[@sacredlovetarot1971]

as I said before take some of that dirt that the house sits on and toss it on where she will be moved... then write them a letter " ok... Now what......:)

[@OrganizeCreateDecorate]

"Common sense" has become and oxymoron. Sad, but true.