NORWAY – Motorists will be detoured down Water Street on Thursday morning if the projected move of the Gingerbread House up Main Street occurs.

The move date is still only tentative and will be dependent on the weather conditions at the time, but Pat Shearman of the Gingerbread House Task Force said late Tuesday that the move appears to be “a go” for Thursday.

Police chief Robert Federico said that during the move motorists driving westbound on Main Street will be detoured down Pikes Hill Road, right on Water Street back onto Main Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured from Main Street, right on Water Street, left on Pikes Hill Road back to Main Street.

The streets will be barricaded for pedestrians who want to view the move of the large 19th century house. It should begin sometimes after 9 a.m. when Central Maine Power shuts down service to two buildings.

“By midafternoon it should be all set,” Federico said.

The Gingerbread House, now situated near the intersection of Main Street and Pikes Hill Road, will be moved up the street a short distance to a small lot by Butters Park. The 80-foot-long building, known historically as the Evans-Cummings House, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is more commonly known as the Gingerbread House for its elaborate “gingerbread” trim that was put on the home during a late 19th century renovation.

James G. Merry Building Movers in Scarborough will be moving the house.

Volunteers from the Norway Landmarks Preservation Society, the nonprofit organization which is doing business as Friends of the Gingerbread House, have worked for the past several years to acquire the building and move it to a new lot.

C’s Inc. which is a real estate holding company affiliated with Sun Media Group, publishers of the Sun Journal and Advertiser-Democrat, agreed late in 2008 to delay demolition of the 1851 historic home if anyone could successfully figure out a way to move it. The volunteers banded together to save the landmark.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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