Wells-Sherman House Ready to Roll on Saturday

For the second time, a historic Kent home from its foundation Saturday to another location in the Tree City.

Stein House Movers, Inc., is expected to move the Kent Wells-Sherman House starting at 7 a.m. Saturday from its location on Erie Street to at the west end of East College Avenue.

Jessie Humenik, a spokesperson for Stein House Movers, said such moves typically take anywhere from three to seven hours. But Saturday's move is expected to only take about an hour because of the short distance and lack of major obstacles.

"It is (typically) a very slow-moving process," she said. "The last one we did ... It only went one block, and it took us about four and a half hours.”

The house is being moved as part of in order to avoid demolition.

For Saturday's move, Capt. Paul Canfield said Haymaker Parkway will likely be closed for several hours so the house can be trucked down the five-lane roadway.

Canfield said the Haymaker Parkway closure is tentative at this point but will most likely be the only road closed for the move.

The house, built in 1858, originally stood at the corner of Erie and South Water streets downtown where stands today. It was eventually relocated to its current location on Erie Street. The house will have to be moved a third time by Dec. 1 if a permanent location can be found. Otherwise, it will be demolished.

Michael Bruder, director of design and construction in the Office of the University Architect at Kent State, said in an email the moving process could start before 7 a.m. to ensure the work is done before starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.