The former Jeremy and Amy Janzen farmhouse on its way to a new lot in Henderson on Thursday. It began its slow journey from four miles east of Henderson past the golf course, heading north on South Main Street. Read more about the history of this house, built in 1924!
Henderson gained one more house on Thursday, but not by the traditional means of construction. A two-story farmhouse formerly owned by Jeremy and Amy Janzen, located on their family’s original homestead four miles east of Henderson at 608 Road F, was moved to its new lot on Birch Street. The Janzens built a new home on their farm, and John and Shelisa Smith purchased the farmhouse, planning to relocate it to Henderson, where they would sell it.
Moving a large home is a slow process, and it comes with some challenges, such as avoiding power lines overhead. Perennial was on hand to ensure the Janzen house made its way safely into town, moving power lines, and even Williams House Movers successfully negotiated it down a minimum maintenance road, according to Shelisa Smith. Williams Midwest House Movers moved the house for the Smiths, who said it went pretty smoothly, arriving at its new home Thursday afternoon.
Here’s the farmhouse lifted and ready to be moved from its original location in the country– photo courtesy Amy Janzen
Photos courtesy John Prusia
This 1924-built House Has Some History
Heartlandbeat did some digging and found out about the history of this house, which was built in 1924 by Dietrich (D.C.) and Katharina Quiring. According to the family, a previous house was on the property where they had lived together, and they built the new two-story home just west of the old house, which was torn down. With the help of neighbors, they built their new home.
The Quirings, who built the house, are the maternal grandparents of Dale, Ken, and Sam Janzen. Their mother, Katherine (Quiring) Janzen, was one of the 11 children who lived there growing up. She and her husband, Sam Janzen, moved into the home in 1952 and lived there until 1980. Dale Janzen remembers growing up with a wood-burning cook stove that they used corn cobs to heat. The family still has the original cook stove in storage. A windmill was in the yard and was used to pump water up to the house.
Like many homes of that era, the home did not have running water or electricity until much later. The home underwent its first remodel in the early 1960s, when Sam and Katherine updated the kitchen and back porch, added a place for the washer and dryer, and renovated the bathroom.
In 1980, Sam and Katherine built a new house in the country on Road E, and Ken and his wife Brenda moved into the home. After living there for several years, they rented out the house for a few years before their son Jeremy and his wife Amy moved into the homeplace in 2006. The house experienced more renovations while each family lived in the farmhouse over the years.
In 2023, with their expanding family, Jeremy and Amy needed more room, so they decided to build a new home just south of the original farmhouse. In 2024, they sold the farmhouse to the Smiths, who bought a vacant lot on Birch Street near the Henderson Aquatic Center and poured a new basement for the Janzen farmhouse.
The Smiths are no strangers to moving houses. In 2019, they purchased a farmhouse from Curtis and Cody Farrall and had it moved to Henderson on Fairway Lane, where they live with their three children. “When we decided to take on this project, we prayed we would be able to sell it to a family since there has always been a family living there. The house has four bedrooms upstairs, and the new basement has an egress window with plenty of space for a family room, bathroom, and a large bedroom/playroom,” said Shelisa.
Who knows if this 100-plus-year-old farmhouse can last another 100 years at its new digs in Henderson!
On Friday, the house was set onto its new foundation.
