1851-Era Casseday House On The Move In Joliet

JOLIET, IL — For the past two years, efforts by Thorntons to put a large gas station and convenient store at the city of Joliet's busy east side corner of Jackson and Collins Streets have been slowed by local preservationists. They did not want Joliet's 1851-era Casseday House to meet the wrecking ball as the initial plan called.

Late last year, a compromise was reached. The Casseday House is being moved a few blocks away to a vacant east-side lot, allowing the Thorntons gas station construction to move ahead this year. The company aims to have its new Joliet gas station open this fall.

This week, out of state building movers are hard at work behind the large fence they erected around the perimeter of the property to keep trespassers away.

On Wednesday, Joliet Patch visited the site, and it's a sight indeed. The New Jersey-based company, DeVooght House Lifters, has already lifted the Casseday House more than 6 feet off the ground. A Joliet company, Gould Brothers Excavating and Demolition, was also involved in this week's complicated building project at the corner of Jackson and Collins Streets.

On Wednesday, DeVooght House Lifters owner Jason DeVooght told Joliet Patch that he needed a dozen semi-trailers of equipment from five states - Wisconsin, New York, New Jersey, Texas and North Carolina - to get the 169-year-old Joliet house ready for the upcoming move.

"It's structurally sound," DeVooght said. "The moving will go pretty standard."

How will they move the Casseday House?

Jason DeVooght said his brother, David, "will be moving the building with a remote control."

While moving an 1851-limestone building is rare, Jason DeVooght told Patch, his company moved a Revolutionary War-era house, built during the mid-1700s, last year in New Jersey.

What does he say about the house in Joliet?

"It's like moving a big rock," he told Patch. "It's one million pounds."

March 23 is the big move day in Joliet for the Casseday House.

DeVooght expects the entire process to take about 12 hours.

The move will take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on March 23 - unless it rains or snows. If weather's a problem, the move will occur the following day.

RELATED PATCH COVERAGE:

• Thorntons Gets Special Liquor Licenses To Move Casseday House
• Thorntons May Replace 'Historic' Joliet Home