Kreger House finds new home in Franklin

It says a lot about a project when raising money is the easy part. That's the case with the preservation of the Kreger House in Franklin.

The hard part was picking up the historic structure and moving it quite a distance down the road to its new home. The original location is now being used as a spot to build a new home, a process that would have meant the end for the Kreger house had preservationists not stepped in.

"It's on its foundation today and the stone mason is putting the stone foundation on," says Bill Lamontt, vice president of the Franklin Historical Society.

The Greek Revival home, barn, and outhouse started as an 80-acre farm in the 1860s. The original family lived on the property, at 26565 Scenic Drive, until a few years ago. It has been vacant ever since.

The historical society moved the Kreger House to the village green's property next to the Franklin Village Hall on Franklin Road. It has raised $160,000 to move the dwelling and build a foundation, which is set to happen this summer. It needs another $240,000 for the renovation. The house will be used as a community center for the village.

The Kreger House is one of Franklin's first farmhouses, built by Charles and Grace Johnston. Grace Johnston's maiden name was German and her father was the miller in town. German Mill Road was named in honor of her family. The Johnstons passed the house down to their daughter, who married Arthur Kreger, a builder. He lived in it until his death in the 1980s.

Sources: Bill Lamontt, vice president of the Franklin Historical Society
Writer: Jon Zemke

Kreger House finds new home in Franklin

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