Historic home on the move in Apex

APEX (WTVD) -- There was a lot of excitement Tuesday as a historic home was moved across Interstate 540 in Apex.

Neighbors gathered to see the moving of the historic Upchurch Williams House down Roberts Road.

"We set up a tent, just so that we could stay out of the sun and here in a little while we're going to cook hot dogs and make a day of it," said Gerald Woods. "It's a big deal. It really is."

Capital Area Preservation orchestrated the move of the historic home.

It's associated with some of most prominent families historically in this area," said Gary Roth, president and CEO of Capital Area Preservation. "It's in a marvelous interior, particularly, state of preservation. There's some things inside you just don't ever see."

Golden A. Upchurch constructed the home in 1905, and was passed down to different family members.

This year, the husband of Lorraine Williams Kane offered the house and 5.5 acres of land to Capital Area Preservation.

The organization will sell the home and land with some stipulations.

"What they basically have to do is maintain the integrity of what makes it historic," Roth said. "That doesn't mean that they can't make an addition, that they can't have a lovely modern kitchen or a lovely modern bath. All of those things are fine but the basic character of the house--the mantles, the floors, the woodwork .. those things have to be preserved."

A price tag hasn't been set for the home, but ABC11 has been told the funds will go to the organization to preserve other historic homes.

However, it could be expensive - Tuesday's move alone was estimated to cost $150,000.