Unless you've been living under a rock — or practicing a digital detox — odds are you've heard about the Victorian house slated to be picked up and moved this weekend in San Francisco. Well, it has, in fact, now been relocated to its new foundation. And the pictures and videos of its journey are wild.
Back in the 70s, Victorian homes were hoisted atop wheeled trailers and moved from the Western Addition to the Fillmore District after a redevelopment plan of the former neighborhood displaced thousands of Black residents. (This forced neighborhood exodus saw some 2,500 other Victorians in the neighborhood demolished in what's still considered one of San Francisco's most egregious acts of outright gentrification.)
Today, a 139-year-old, six-bedroom, three-bath Victorian home was freed from its foundation at 807 Franklin Street and relocated to 635 Fulton Street. As Hoodline reported, the existing building at the Franklin Street address — which housed Bryant Mortuary for nearly 60 years — had already been moved to the eastern side of the 10,415-square-foot site to make room for it.
And because this weekend proved to be generally sunny and free of gloomy weather, there were no weather delays during the home’s journey. Around 250 masked faces made up the crowd as people watched the patina-green home roll down the streets of San Francisco.
Known as the Englander House, it began traveling south down Franklin Street to Golden Gate Avenue around 7:20 a.m. Sunday morning, turning right to travel west to Laguna Street before making its final turn onto Fulton. The digital publication described that even some "parking meters, street lights and power lines" all had to be removed to make sure the move went smoothly. Thankfully, it seems to have all gone without a notable hitch or hiccup.
The 6-block, 1 mile an hour move cost was estimated to cost around $400K — but the pictures and videos of the move (done at a snail's pace) were priceless. And captivating, if for no other reason than the move's nod to past Victorians being moved through San Francisco streets.
Check out some of our favorite moments of the move that found their way on Twitter.
San Francisco Victorian house on the move. Read note on @sfchronicle https://t.co/zy3Y02S9wk pic.twitter.com/e0d8QItkmD
— Ari Tulla (@umbar) February 21, 2021
Meanwhile, in San Francisco...
— Kendall Baker (@TheKendallBaker) February 21, 2021
A 139-year-old Victorian house is on the move.
via @the415guy pic.twitter.com/175ROZEM68
Nothing to see here, just a historic San Francisco Victorian home coming down the street! Today it’s being moved 6 blocks for more than $400,000. It’s old location near Turk and Franklin will soon be home to more than 60 apartments. @abc7newsbayarea
— J.R. Stone (@jrstonelive) February 21, 2021
Courtesy: Lehoa Nguyen pic.twitter.com/3ztOAtaVRU
Another shot pic.twitter.com/JZgbgLsDoG
— J.R. Stone (@jrstonelive) February 21, 2021
Victorian house on the loose! pic.twitter.com/gSOnpaFLGX
— Militant Bemasked Pedestrian (@transbay) February 21, 2021
I rarely skip #60Minutes, but the 130 yo Queen Anne Victorian house move is in its 12th hour. It’s currently angled about 30 degrees off from its new foundation. Fulton between Buchanan and Laguna, San Francisco. #SF pic.twitter.com/u6C6Z7p6xw
— Peter Chu (@pcnotpc) February 22, 2021
Related: Inside The Fisk House, A Victorian Alliance Restoration That Proves History Buffs Are Hipsters [2016]
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Image: Twitter via @pcnotpc