Man Watches His Home Roll Away in Falls Church

When the higher ups at Columbia Baptist Church told Will McMillen he had to move, he didn’t know they meant they were going to put his home on wheels and roll it down the street.

McMillen, an audio-visual technician at the church, moved into the home – owned by the church – six years ago with his family. Living in the home is one of the perks of working at the church and now, his home will have a new addition.

“I figured we’re going to get a new basement out of it so it’s fine,” McMillen said Wednesday as he watched his home move a couple lots over from where it once stood in the 300 block of N. Maple St.

The home, owned by the church, is one of three homes on N. Maple Street used by clergy and other people who work at the church. Bill Robson, program manager at the church, said they wanted to move the home next to the other two homes to create a more historic look. Robson would not say how much the move cost the church but said it will take several weeks before the home is placed onto its new foundation. Robson said it’s estimated the home was built in 1910.

As the house creaked along the soft, muddy ground, McMillen said he and his wife took everything out of the home they couldn’t live without and left all of their furniture inside. For now, McMillen and his family are staying in temporary housing in Ballston.

“I had seen this done before on television,” McMillen joked. “This is the first time I have seen it done in real life.”

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