Neil House NEWS

Posted by Deborah at 8/9/2010 8:04 PM
Categories: To Go, In the Village, Old Country Store, Songwriter's Depot, Casey Jones Museum, The Shoppes, In the News, Events and Premieres, Live Music

Updated Monday evening, August 9th, 2010:  What an incredible day watching the movers and crew place the Neil House back together again. It was delayed a few hours due to a morning thunderstorm but went beautifully this afternoon!



Updated August 9th:  We're a go for lifting the second floor onto the first.  Stop by and watch if you are nearby.  Will happen around 2:15 pm.

Updated August 9th, 2010:  We had hoped to reset the second floor on top of the first floor this morning but due to a tremendous amount of rain the cranes have not been able to maneuver in the field yet today and we are on hold right now.  Stay tuned.  We are trying to determine with the wet conditions the best time to proceed.


Updated August 3rd, 2010:  The Neil House made the final leg of its journey to Jackson today and is now safely in the Village.  We are so very excited and happy.  See fascinating pictures taken by Katie Brake and the Jackson Sun on their website at www.jacksonsun.com .   There is a great video clip by Brandon Artiles from Channel 7 here in Jackson. The story was also on Channel 5 in Memphis covered by Justin Hanson and aired today.  Our thanks to all the local and area media who followed this story from start to finish.  The Trenton Herald Gazette newspaper has given excellent coverage to the Neil House all along the way as well as the Jackson Sun's Tracie Simer and Katie Brake.  Again, our deepest gratitude to the countless people who made this move from Trenton possible.  The crews worked during the hottest time of the year and we are so grateful for each man and woman involved and especially thankful that no one was hurt during the move and preparation for the move.

Updated August 2nd, 2010:  The Neil House move went beautifully today.  We are so thankful and so appreciative of the tremendous team effort.  The mover's permit allows road travel up to 3 pm so the home will stay overnight in Humboldt and begin at 9:30 am Tuesday, August 3rd to continue on into Jackson to Casey Jones Village.  Our heartfelt thanks to all the people involved in this huge undertaking today including Terry Logan movers, Joe Mitchell, AT & T, Gibson County, the City of Trenton,  Trenton Mayor Tony Burriss, Mayor of Trenton, the City of Humboldt,  Humboldt Mayor Allen Barker, Humboldt Chamber president Gil Fletcher, Humboldt Utilities, Humboldt cable, the law enforcement officers assigned to the move, the documentary crew, the news media and more.  Tomorrow we will continue through Humboldt, into Three Way and on into Jackson.  Many many people have participated in this amazing journey and we are so very grateful!

Updated August 1st, 2010:  We are all clear for the move of the Neil House Monday, August 2nd.  We'll be starting bright and early and will possibly go into Tuesday.  Thank you in advance for your well wishes and prayers for a safe journey.  See more below...

Updated July 29th, 2010:  We have launched a You Tube channel! 

www.youtube.com/user/OldCountryStoreTV1   Not to worry - The Neil House will be completely restored to its former glory and we can't wait to show you the finished product.  It is going to be gorgeous once again in the coming months.   Our thanks to videographer Doug Viar and his grandson, Joe, for videotaping the project and settting up this channel for us and also one for "CaseyJonesVillageTV1".    Listen in to Clark and Juanita Shaw this afternoon at 4:10 pm on Hap Fowler's American Family Radio for West TN show on www.wigh.afr.net!   Thank you Hap!

Updated July 28th, 2010:
  
Important Update from the Old Country Store on Moving the Neil House:

The move of the Neil House from Trenton to Jackson has been rescheduled from tomorrow to Monday, August 2nd to give the movers additional time to add further bracing to the 173 year old home.  The home is structurally sound but still delicate due to its age and the 30 mile trek it will be making. 

Plans call for the move to begin at 7:00 am Monday taking a path from the home's location on 502 High Street in Trenton, Tennessee down Highway 45 South through Humboldt into Jackson to Casey Jones Village. It will take approximately several hours to maneuver wires in Trenton and then several more hours to travel the rest of the route.  We will also be monitoring the weather for any change in traveling conditions. 

Moving a historic home is no small task and our utmost concern is for the crew involved and their safety and the citizens of these communities as well as the safety of the home. Project leader is the new owner of the Neil House Old Country Store CEO Clark Shaw.  He and his wife, Juanita, acquired the home in June.


Updated July 26th, 2010:  Today was a very exciting day with the Neil House project! On site in Trenton, Tennessee the movers and crane crew removed the second floor from the first floor in order to make the move possible.  With the home being so tall it has to be moved in two separate floors.  We gratefully acknowledge the amazing expertise of Terry Logan Movers and Crane Services of Jackson.  It was an incredible site as the second floor was lifted from the first floor and hovered above it then lowered down behind it. 

Here is a picture of the Neil House as it will be restored again when in Jackson and pictures of it today as the second floor was removed from the first floor.  It was a sight to behold. 

The fireplaces and front porch columns will of course be added back when it in place in Casey Jones Village.  Also, the back of the house had several additions through its 173 years that were not strong enough for the move.  The original 1837 part of the home and most historic is moving to the Village and plans call to add on later.  The home has a formal living room, grand foyer and staircase, dining room, and bedrooms upstairs.....










Updated July 23rd, 2010:   Everything is on go for the move of the Neil House to Casey Jones Village for the week of July 26th. Final preparations will take place Monday through Wednesday with the move beginning on Thursday, July 29th. The house mover will be taking a path from Trenton down Highway 45 south to Jackson.  Of course with any move of this magnitude various factors can come into play but these are the plans to date.  We appreciate your well wishes on this momentous occasion.

Updated July 16th, 2010:  Work has been progressing at a rapid pace on the Neil House relocation and we still anticipate the move will take place before the end of July.  We will let you know an exact date as soon as Clark lets me know.  Thank you for your interest in this amazing story. 

Updated July 1st, 2010:   We are so appreciative of the kind words of support coming in from the community about the Neil House preservation.  An article and editorial were in the Jackson Sun newspaper and a news story was on WBBJ TV, the local ABC affiliate, plus the story has been picked up by the Associated Press which is wonderful.  Our gracious thanks to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development for posting the story on their website and Press Room: http://press.tnvacation.com/media/News.asp?ID=613

We will keep you updated as we progress with moving this historic treasure to Jackson this summer.  Happy 4th!

Posted June 28th, 2010:  We are very excited to announce the following news!  Please read our press release below:

 


Old Country Store Acquires
Historic Neil House in Trenton
 
(Jackson, TN)  Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store and Clark and Juanita Shaw are pleased to announce the relocation of the historic Neil House from Trenton, Tennessee to Casey Jones Village in Jackson, Tennessee later this summer.
 
The Neil House was built in 1837 and, at 173 years, is one of Tennessee’s oldest homes.  It has been an important part of Tennessee history and played a role in the Battle of Trenton during the Civil War when citizens gathered on its roof to watch the battle unfold.
 
It later became the home of Judge M.M. Neil, who served as Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
 
The Shaw family and their company, Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store, have a passion for preserving history and plan to restore this Tennessee treasure to its original Antebellum period look.
 
The Shaw’s have been working closely with the First Presbyterian Church who previously owned the home but needed it relocated for an upcoming church expansion.
 
A number of historically minded individuals in Trenton attempted to save the building but when that did not work out, the Shaw’s offered to relocate the home to Casey Jones Village.
 
Clark Shaw and his wife, Juanita, expressed their appreciation to the leadership of First Presbyterian Church whose desire it was to see the church saved and the citizens of Trenton who worked with the church in an attempt to preserve it.  Both made it possible for the Old Country Store to be involved in preserving its future.
 
Shaw said, "Besides the church and citizens of Trenton, there are so many people and organizers to thank including the mayors of Trenton, Humboldt and Jackson, communities through which the home will pass."  Shaw continued, "Our gratitude to the utility and cable TV companies and AT & T, who will not only be lifting the phone lines all along the route, will also be providing a grant from its Foundation to help reduce the moving costs.  We'd also like to thank the house movers, building contractor and friend Joe Mitchell and the dismantling team headed by Bill McMillen.  Everyone we talked with was willing to partner with us to make this historic move possible."  Shaw added, "Our gratitude also goes out to State Representatives Jimmy Eldridge and Steve McDaniel who believed in the historical significance of this project and the support of the Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Association."
 
Plans call for work to begin on the house today Monday, June 28th and the house moving company, Terry Logan House Movers, is expected to make the 30 mile trek by the end of July, 2010.
 
According to Shaw, it became economically unfeasible to relocate the entire structure, which had seen an addition in the 1890’s and another in the 1930’s.  The original 1837 portion, which is by far the most historically important, will be relocated.
 
Because of the height of over 33 feet, the home will be divided into two sections and moved on the same day.  It will then be reassembled and restored on site at Casey Jones Village to its 1837 antebellum grandeur.
 
Once fully restored on both the exterior and interior, period furniture and accessories will be added to make the restoration complete.  It will be utilized as an attraction at Casey Jones Village and made available for historic home tours.  Future plans call for the home to be open for receptions and private catered dinners, meetings, weddings, community events, Civil War Living History weekends and perhaps a Bed and Breakfast. It is a beautiful antebellum plantation house with two large porches across the front, 14 foot ceilings on both levels, 15 inch baseboards and door frames of heart pine, 12 foot windows, 10 foot 6 inch doors, poplar wood floors and is built in the classic Federal style.
 
The new name for the home will be “The Plantation House” at Casey Jones Village ~ An Antebellum Experience.  The home is expected to be open to the public in the spring of 2011. 
 
Casey Jones Village is located in Jackson, Tennessee at 56 Casey Jones Lane near I-40 exit 80A.  The website is www.caseyjones.com .
 
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