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Editor’s note: The story of Humboldt County’s most unusual house-moving project has been told before but not with some of the detail that we have been able to compile for this article. Our thanks go to Eureka resident, Mrs. George (Bobbi) Walker, who called our attention to an article, “How Buildings are Moved,” published in the 1890s in a British magazine called “The Strand Magazine.”

Additional material has been provided by Martha Roscoe, Humboldt County historian.

The house, still standing at the comer of Sixth and N streets, was drastically modified after a fire destroyed the top story in 1935. However, much of its original, impressive ornamentation is still intact. The British magazine item on the house was included in several other accounts of famous moving projects in early U.S. history. The early-day item follows. —HH.

The Strand Magazine, June 1897

An interesting story can be told about the pretty wooden mansion shown on this and the following page, and the operation was certainly one of the most picturesque and scientific feats of modern house-moving. The house belongs to Mr. Ernest Sevier, a prominent lawyer of Eureka, California. It was raised from its foundation in Arcata, a small town near Eureka, and moved on rollers to a marsh on the edge of Humboldt Bay. Here, two large lighters or flat barges, each competent to sustain 300 tons, were in waiting, securely joined together. A square opening had been cut into the edge of the marsh, and in this the lighters were supported with piles, so as to be perfectly stationary at low tide. The house was then shifted to the lighters, and at high tide the piles were withdrawn, and the house and lighters were afloat on Humboldt Bay.

In this fashion, it was towed for eight miles with perfect safety. The house weighed over 100 tons, contained ten rooms, an outside chimney, and was hard-finished throughout. When it reached Eureka, it was transferred from the lighters to the land, in the presence of a crowd of spectators, and then rolled a half a mile within the limits of the City of Eureka … rolling prettily along the street behind a donkey-engine, near its destination. The house was placed on pine timbers, 12 in. by 14 in., running fore and aft, and these again were crossed with other timbers running transversely.

“The plastering,” writes Mr. Sevier, “was broken in places, but two men repaired it all in one day. Not a panel was started, not a pane of glass broken, and not a brick displaced.” The contractors who moved the house were Messrs. H.M. Mercer and William Berry, and the work was finished in about two months.”

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Local newspapers printed these items on the Sevier house, also called the Dean house:

Arcata Union, Feb. 23, 1889

Theordore Dean is building a nice residence at the corner of 8th and G streets. [Actually, the site was 7th and G streets. -HH.]

Arcata Union, Oct. 12, 1889

Cards of invitation were sent out last week to a large number of people to attend a house warming at the new residence of Theodore Dean on the corner of 7th and G streets. The party was given under the auspices of the mechanics who performed service in their various callings on building and finishing this model home. The names of the mechanics signed to the invitation cards are: S.R. Wallace, John Bushey, M. Johanson, M. McLeod, W. Boscow, W. Shaffey, T.F. Nicholson, G.N. Stearns, S.B. Clanton, G. Trask, W.A. Trask.

As early as 8 o’clock people began to arrive and at 9 o’clock the house was filled from top to bottom with guests strolling through the rooms, admiring their beauty and convenience and interchanging views in regard to style, finish, etc. The house is an Eastlake cottage containing nine rooms, having two stories and an attic. Mr. Dean, who is an architect and builder himself, superintended the work and made such changes from the established plan of such cottages as were suggested to his taste. Certainly the house is as complete in all appointments as it could be possible to make one of its size. The finish inside is of native wood such as curly redwood, ash laurel and redwood burl. It has high polish and almost dazzles the eye to look at it.

After the crowd had gathered, about 150 in number, J.P. Feaster tuned his violin and with H.S. Stern at the piano and Professor Holland to call, dancing began in the parlor which had been left bare for the purpose. We regret lack of space prevents us from giving a further account of the house.

The Humboldt Times, Oct. 25 1895

Contractors Mercer and Berry have already commenced operations for the removal of the Dean dwelling from Arcata to Eureka and expect to have the structure in position here within a month. As a precaution against accident in transporting the house across the mile of marsh between its present location and tidewater, the route will be planked and timbered to overcome inequalities or soft spots. As the lighters upon which the building will be towed to Eureka cannot be floated nearer than 200 or 300 feet from the dyke, a temporary bridge or wharf will have to be built out to them on the mudflats.

The Humboldt Times, Nov. 15, 1895

Contractor Mercer was in the city yesterday and reported that the Sevier home had been successfully moved onto the lighters at the Arcata dyke and that the steamer Phoenix would start down the bay with the odd tow at noon today. (Sevier purchased the Dean house and had it moved.)

The Humboldt Times, Nov. 19, 1895

The Dean house, which arrived from Arcata by water Thursday, was safely landed at the J St. slip Saturday and is now well on its way up the slope to 2nd St. Contrary to rumors, the building is still intact, chimneys and all, and it is expected by contractors Mercer and Berry that if no accident occurs, the structure will be on level ground on 2nd St. this evening.

The Humboldt Times, Nov. 20, 1895

The Sevier house was successfully hauled up J St. slope to 2nd St. yesterday and last evening had crossed 3rd St. where it rested for the night.

The Humboldt Times, Nov. 23, 1895

The Dean house, brought down from Arcata for Ernest Sevier, is now within one block of its destination on 6th St.

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Editor’s note from 2026: The house, which stands at 6th and N streets to this day, had a second (third?) notable chapter. Stay tuned to next week’s Humboldt History for that! — LoCO.

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