A historic home in United States’s Bath, Maine, that was once owned by a prominent shipbuilder is being offered for just $1. But whoever buys it will have to move the entire house to a new location or risk seeing it demolished, the New York Post reported.General Dynamics Bath Iron Works is offering two residential buildings for $1 each, including the circa-1900 Deering House at 606 Washington St. The company plans to clear the site for a new facility.A $1 house with a big catchThe buyer must move the Deering House to a legally permitted site by November 20, 2027. If no one takes on the challenge, the historic property could be demolished as part of the company’s expansion plans.The house is being sold “as is, where is,” with no warranties, according to Bath Iron Works. The buyer will also be responsible for “all relocation costs, including permits, approvals, licensed structural movers, transportation, site prep, foundations, utilities, and related services.”That means the $1 purchase price could come with a much bigger bill, with the cost of moving a large historic house potentially running into hundreds of thousands of dollars.Why is the house important?The Deering House dates back to around 1900 and is closely connected to Bath’s shipbuilding history.It was originally owned by Gardiner G. Deering, a prominent shipbuilder who helped establish the city as a major shipbuilding centre in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Deering built 99 vessels during his career and operated a shipyard along the Kennebec River.Bath was once known as the “City of Ships” and ranked third in the US for wooden-hulled vessel production in 1854, behind New York City and Boston.For local historians, saving the house would mean preserving an important part of Bath’s maritime heritage.Why does the company want it moved?Bath Iron Works wants to expand its facilities, and the land occupied by the Deering House is needed for a new facility.Jolene Nickerson, director of facilities capital at Bath Iron Works, said the company wants to expand while giving someone an opportunity to preserve the historic home.“It’s important for General Dynamics and Bath Iron Works to continue to be able to grow as a company and employ thousands of Mainers. We’re looking for ways to improve our facilities,” Nickerson said, according to WMTW.“The hope is that there is somebody that has a viable lot to move this to, and that it’s financially feasible for somebody who is interested in the house to relocate it and preserve the historic nature, which the community is very excited about,” she added.Moving an old house is possible, but it is far from simple or cheap. In May, a 6,200-square-foot, three-storey house designed by architect John Calvin Stevens in 1899 was moved about one-third of a mile through Augusta, Maine.The 120,000-pound building was split into two sections and transported to a new site. The project cost more than $500,000. For the Deering House, the challenge is now to find someone willing to take on a similar task before the November 20, 2027 deadline.
