Historic Loomcrofters studio being relocated in Gagetown
Studio that was first built in the late 1700s is being moved to the Tilley House Museum
The relocation of one of New Brunswick's most historic buildings is taking place on Tuesday morning in the Village of Gagetown.
The Loomcrofters weaving studio was renowned worldwide for its creations of dozens of tartans, including the New Brunswick tartan, the Royal Canadian Air Force tartan and the City of Fredericton tartan.
The studio was first built in the late 1700s as a British military trading post and eventually became home to the weaving studio.
The building, owned by Willard Jenkins, nephew of the founder of Loomcrofters, Miss Patricia Jenkins, was recently gifted to Queens County Heritage, one of New Brunswick's leading historical societies.
Bruce Thomson, the president of Queen's County Heritage, said the move will be a delicate operation.
“A 250-year-old building will be rolling along the streets of Gagetown about two kilometres to its new site. So as a part of that there will be temporary power interruptions as we move along the route, there are dozens of wires that need to be dealt with as the studio passes along,” he said.
“This will be a several-hour project.”
Thomson said dozens of school children will be lining the streets of the village to watch the move, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
More people will be on hand to welcome the building at its new home on the grounds of Tilley House Museum in Gagetown.
The studio will re-open to visitors next summer.