Massive moves: Gagetown's Loomcrofters Studio to reopen

About 18 monthsafter the oldest building still in usein the province was relocated down the road, the historic LoomcroftersStudioin the village of Gagetown is preparing for its grand reopening.

• Gagetown yarn sale weaves historic yarn for Loomcrofters museum
• Historic Loomcrofters studio being relocated in Gagetown

Now next to the Tilley House Museum,the building looks right at home, somethingBruce Thomson, president of theQueens County Heritage,saysit took a tremendousamountof work.

"We were seeing tartan in our dreams, I think as we worked on this project. A thousand objects were moved out of this building and then moved back in.Everything was inventoried, the building itself was moved," he said.

The former British trading post, built in 1761, was moved a kilometer-and-a-half from the opposite end of the village, completing a journey 30years in the making the dying wish of Loomcrofters founder Patricia Jenkins.

It was a short, butstressful trip, andKitEmms, executive director of Queens County Heritage,saysit would have been impossible without help.

"Without all that input from all the volunteers and the long hours and dedication and enthusiasm, this project wouldn't have happened," said Emms.

Even after the monumental feat of transporting an entire building to a new locationthen came exactlywhat onewould expect fora building of this age: renovations.

Lloyd Mullin has been helping to upgrade the structure.

"It is a constant maintenance factor ...It has to be done on a regular basis. You get past a point and then you're into such a big budget to restore it then," Mullin said.

With Saturday's reopening,Thomson saysthere's a chance to reflect on the LoomcroftersStudio'slegacy anda building that touches four centuries of New Brunswick history.

"We think of Miss Jenkins and Miss Inch and so many others that went before and how proud they would actually be of the work that we have done and the recognition of their important legacy to not only the heritage of New Brunswick, but the craft and business aspect of New Brunswick.

"I think tomorrow there will be a few tears."