Moving Day
Relocated Parsonage Reflects Small-Town Revitalization in Rockwell City
When it’s time to move, that usually involves people relocating to a new place. In Rockwell City on Nov. 14, it meant a two-story brick house rolled slowly around the corner from 416 Sixth Street to its new south-facing view about a block and a half away at 628 Main Street, just west of downtown.
“It was amazing to watch the crew move this house by remote control after they removed it from the foundation and basement and put it on wheels,” said Joan Wagner of Rockwell City, who serves as the Calhoun County assessor.
It was a perfect day for the move, which started around 7:30 a.m. There was no rain and just a slight breeze on the overcast, mid-November morning. Small crowds of people walked down the blocked-off street to watch the amazing spectacle for themselves, as the house was moved into position by late morning. Others who were driving by pulled over to exclaim, “Wow—that’s so neat!”
“Watching this was just surreal”
Built around 1955, the stately, brick home served as the parsonage for St. Paul’s Lutheran and Presbyterian Church for decades. In recent years, however, a declining number of church members, aging parishioners and tight budgets made it difficult for the church to maintain the home. The last minister to live in the home (an interim pastor) moved out in the summer of 2020.
“We didn’t want to tear the house down, so we explored a lot of options, including turning it into a shelter,” said Tina Meth Farrington, president of the church board.
When the congregation realized it wasn’t feasible for them to rent the home, sell it or repurpose it, they began brainstorming a list of people who might be able to provide a viable option for the home’s future. They hit the jackpot with one of their first calls, which they made to Brent and Deb Maguire.
These local residents own and operate Crystal Moon Properties, which renovates properties and re-sells them. “We started fixing up and flipping houses about three years ago,” Deb Maguire said. “It’s my passion.”
Brent Maguire, foreman of the Calhoun County Secondary Roads department, has also done construction work on the side for many years. Both he and his wife were familiar with the process of moving large buildings. Brent Maguire’s dad moved a barn about 50 years ago in the Rockwell City area, while Deb had a cabin moved from the east side of North Twin Lake to the west side in the 1990s.
After the Maguires signed the paperwork in mid-August 2023 to take on this new project, they reached out to a local company that specializes in moving large buildings. When that business declined, the couple began searching the Internet and made a lot of phone calls.
“That’s how I found Wolfe House & Building Movers,” said Brent Maguire, referring to this unique company in North Manchester, Indiana.
Founded in 1970, Wolfe House & Building Movers brings a wealth of experience to unique projects like moving the brick parsonage in Rockwell City. The company has handled everything from moving a 200-year-old house through the narrow streets of New York City to relocating a three-story barn.
Each project poses its own challenges and obstacles to overcome, including structural issues, route planning and clearance issues. The company has successfully completed hundreds of projects across the United States through the years. They’ve even developed, field-tested and manufactured their own line of jacking and moving equipment for the smoothest, safest building relocation possible. In addition, they carry a large liability policy in case anything goes wrong, Deb Maguire said.
The Wolfe House & Building Movers crew was on site in Rockwell City for about a week in mid-November to prepare the brick home for its journey to its new site. “Watching the crew move this house was just surreal,” Deb Maguire said.
It costs $80,000 to move this house, and the new foundation is $35,000. “Plus, there’s all the new electrical and HVAC we’ll be installing,” added Deb Maguire, referring to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems that she and her husband will be installing in the home this winter.
Welcome home
The house now occupies a prime corner lot where former Rockwell City Mayor Phil Heinlen (who passed away a few weeks ago on Nov. 2) grew up. That house had been gone for a number of years, leaving the lot empty. Heinlen worked with the city council to rezone the property to accommodate the size of house that the Maguires were moving to this site.
While some people have referred to the former parsonage as “that cute little house,” it’s surprisingly spacious. Measuring roughly 32 feet by 32 feet, the home includes four bedrooms (with room to create two more bedrooms in the basement), along with an exceptionally nice office. “This house is in excellent condition,” said Deb Maguire, noting that it has beautiful, oak hardwood floors and new windows.
While the Maguires had planned to move the house this past summer or early fall, neither the first date nor the second one worked out. “Third time’s the charm,” said Deb Maguire, who works for the Iowa Area Education Agency (AEA) and is also a real estate agent.
Once the Maguires complete a variety of upgrades on the home, it will be for sale by the spring of 2025. “Moving this house has filled so many needs and offers one more way to help revitalize Rockwell City,” Deb Maguire said. “It’s exciting to see this all come together and give new life to this home.”
Keepin’ It Rural is a member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. If you want to learn more about me and life here on the farm in west-central Iowa, visit me at Darcy Maulsby. As an MBA, 5th generation farmer, and Iowa's Storyteller, I help businesses find their "wow" stories to inspire people to dream bigger, revitalize rural America and change the world for the good.
Nice story, Darcy!