DURHAM, N.C.-The old prophecy, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, took a whole new meaning Sunday morning when dozens from the Old West Durham neighborhood came to welcome their newest addition.

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The neighborhood is now home to another historical home recently saved from the wrecking ball. The historic Tate House went on the move from Markham Street to its new address at the 1000 block of Edith Street.

 

John Martin, a history professor at Durham Tech, bought the house with plans to restore it back to its original look.

 

“I’ve never taken on a project this big,” Martin said. “But I’m passionate about keeping our history alive.”

 

The house, built in the 1950’s will have all its original doors, windows and molding. Martin says after restoring the house, he plans to move into the house and make it his permanent residence.

 

“It’s part of us and we don’t want to let it go and we want to keep it as much as we can and plus there’s an environmental aspect instead of sending this to the landfill we’re going to reuse it,” Martin said.

 

Residents in and around the Old West Durham neighborhood brought coffee and donuts to watch the old house make its way down Markham Street, which took four hours to complete.

 

The house was set to be torn down after Feb. 12 of this year if no one could buy the house and save it. Durham’s Historic Preservation Commission had denied the application to have the house demolished in 2007, but by law, could only save it once. The owner of the house and land, Jeff Monsein, began working with the Old West Durham Neighborhood President, John Schelp, and the HPC to make plans to move the house.

 

The cost for restoring and moving the house was over $100,000, but Martin said it’s worth it.

 

“I have the summer off to get started on the house,” Martin said.