Watch This 80-Ton Historic Maine Building Get Moved

Now this is what you call a BIG move!

Wednesday, May 19th was a sunny, pleasant day in Cumberland, Maine, and it was one that afforded the people who live there the chance to see something very cool that doesn't occur everyday. The Cumberland Historical Soceity building was moved 0.2 miles to be relcated at it's new home at the Prince Memorial Library, also located in Cumberland. The planning and idea to make the trek to move this 170 year old building has been in the works for years.

The trip took about 15 minutes in all, but it required siginificant displacement of power lines in order to haul this bad boy. Intersections were closed and detours in place, becasue let's face it, this is one big load to haul!

The 80-ton structure was moved by the folks at the James G. Merry Building Movers of Scarborough. Things got a little interesting when they needed to make a sharp turn into it's new home at Prince Memorial Library. You can see all sorts of town residents following the building on foot, with several spectators catching a look at this unique event, and moving a building while everyone who lives there is watching it, is about as small town USA as it gets.

The builiding has some distinct historical content behind it, the brick building was bulit way back in 1853, when it originally served as a public schoolhouse for the town of Cumberland.

The plan this summer is for a full restoration and renovation of ther Historical Society's brand new home.