Geneva's Miller-Gully House Relocated

GENEVA, IL -- The relocation of a historic home in Geneva is complete. City officials said East Side Drive had reopened and the Miller-Gully House has been moved from its former location at 122 E. State Street to 822 East Side Drive. All roadways were open following the relocation effort, which got underway around 9 a.m. Tuesday and continued through much of the afternoon.

The home was loaded onto a wide truck trailer and was moved down State Street Tuesday morning, according to a news release from the city.The morning work required State Street's eastbound lanes and interior westbound lane to be closed from Bennett Street to East Side Drive.

The relocation effort was stalled at about 11:3o a.m. when the house was unable to proceed under utility lines and ComEd was called to the area of East Side Drive at Locus Avenue to assist, according to city officials. Traffic in both directions at that intersection was also detoured.

"The utility lines were quoted by ComEd to be at a certain height but were lower than expected as the house approached the intersection. The house is now sitting on the truck trailer as the movers await for a ComEd team to arrive," city officials wrote in an update at 11:24 a.m. Tuesday.

The utility line issue was resolved during the early afternoon hours, leaving workers with just a couple more blocks to go before the house reached its final destination at 822 East Side Drive.

The decision to relocate the building came after a builder purchased the East State Street parcel with intentions to develop the property. The developer provided an opportunity for the vacant home to be relocated, and the home was purchased by Adam Gibbons, who has organized the move to East Side Drive.

Known as the Miller-Gully house, the home was built in 1839 by early settlers near the east bank of the Fox River. A distillery once resided on site, and the home was sold during the Civil War to Dr. J.B. Gully, a local homeopathic physician.

The Geneva History Museum awarded a historic plaque marker in 1981 to honor the residence.

A development proposal has not been submitted to the city for the East State Street property.

Photo via GoogleMaps