Daggett house takes a harbor cruise
By Janet Hefler - May 17, 2007
One of Vineyard Haven's historic homes became the ultimate houseboat last Friday, taking a short trip by barge from the beach at the end of Beach Road Extension across the harbor to its new location at the Tisbury Wharf Company property on Beach Road.
A crane was used to lift the weathered building from its resting spot on the beach between the Coastwise dock and Gannon and Benjamin onto a barge for a short trip across Vineyard Haven Harbor.
The journey actually began on April 24, when Hayden Building Movers moved the house, built by Captain Seth Daggett in 1805 and currently owned by Ralph Packer, from its former location across Beach Street from the Vineyard Haven post office to the beach staging area.
Last Friday, Astro Crane Company assembled a towering crane capable of handling 365 tons at the end of Beach Street Extension to lift the 40-ton house. Baxter Crane Company handled the rigging.
As the crew attached thick yellow nylon strapping to the steel beams supporting the old house, crowds of curious onlookers gathered. In a celebratory family gathering, Mr. Packer, his children, their spouses, and their children watched the goings-on from the second floor balcony of a building nearby. Unfortunately, his wife Dorothy didn't make it in time for lift-off.
The Packer Company barge rested at the water's edge, waiting for its unusual cargo. Then the mighty crane lifted the old house effortlessly, with nary a creak or groan, as many in the crowd held their breath. Aboard the barge, Mark Barros and Tim McGill of Hayden Building Movers helped guide the crane operator as he gently lowered the house onto wooden blocks.
After watching the transfer with her husband Rick, Mr. Packer's daughter Elizabeth Packer Thompson joined their children Oscar and Lucy to escort the barge aboard the Packer Company's tugboat "Taurus," piloted by Randy Jardin. Her brother John Packer, with his wife Janet and their children David, Nathaniel, and Charlotte, joined by a gaggle of their friends, rode alongside in their powerboat, Charlotte Anne.
Deborah Packer stayed behind on land with her father, whose eyes were riveted to the house in nervous watchfulness. "We have to wait and see if the barge floats free," he warned.
A moment later, he gave a thumbs-up and a smile as Captain Paul Bangs of Tisbury Towing and Transportation eased the barge on its way with the tugboat Sirius. Onboard, Stuart D. Bangs and Jeff Simmons kept an eye on the oversized cargo. Joni Merry, who formerly owned the house and sold it back to Mr. Packer, rode along as an honorary passenger.
Captain Bangs maneuvered his way skillfully and carefully past the moored sailboats Calypso on one side and the Alabama on the other, aided by John Packer, who pushed his boat up against the barge to help align it.
After a short 15-minute trip across the harbor, the barge arrived at the Tisbury Wharf Company dock where Mr. Packer stood grinning.
A new foundation on the waterfront awaited the house's arrival. The crane was used again to lift it off the barge. This week, blockings will be removed and the house lowered the last two feet onto the foundation.
Ralph Packer keeps a watchful eye as his family's historic home is moved to its new waterfront location. Photo by Susan Safford
The Daggett house used to sit on its own stretch of beach on what was the Vineyard Haven waterfront and is now Water Street. The house holds special meaning for Mr. Packer, as five of the seven generations of his family lived there. His children and grandchildren also share his fondness for the old house, he said. Mr. Packer plans to renovate the house and turn it into waterfront office space, which he estimates will take about three years.
The house-moving project took more than four years to pull off. Mr. Packer said he is grateful to the many people who made it possible. "It probably won't be until the next century until we get everybody thanked," he said.
Using Google Earth, the distance the house traveled is calculated at .31 mile as the crow flies; .37 mile via the water route; and .39 mile via Beach Road. Estimated time: Two centuries. Cost: priceless.
In the wee hours of April 24, Hayden Building Movers squeezed the Daggett House between two Water Street buildings on the way to Five Corners and down Beach Street Extension. Photo by Ralph Stewart
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A jubilant witness to history in the making gives the high sign as the house lifts off. Photo by Susan Safford
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Capable of lifting 365 tons, the mammoth crane makes light work of lifting the 40-ton house aboard the Packer Company barge, resting against the beach. Photo by Tara Kenny
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It’s bon voyage as the tug Sirius pulls the barge and its cargo, looking like an oversized houseboat, into the harbor. John Packer and his family in Charlotte Anne (at right) lay alongside to provide assistance. Photo by Tara Kenny
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Tisbury Police Chief John Cashin enjoys the occasion, sharing a laugh with Randy Jardin, a 20-year Packer Company employee who piloted the tug Taurus to escort the barge. Photo by Susan Safford
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At the end of its voyage, the Daggett House reaches the Tisbury Wharf Company property where its new waterfront foundation awaits. Photo by Janet Hefler
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Photo by Janet Hefler
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