HOWLAND TWP., Ohio - In Howland, the Historical Society teamed up with state and local agencies to preserve an important part of the township's history.
 
The effort took almost half a million dollars and the closing of some major state roads and highways.
 
Some children who live along the route, had parents set alarm clocks so they could watch the yellow house in Howland being moved to its new location.
 
The countdown was ticking with a time frame getting closer before the house built by the township's first settler in 1799, risked being torn down. It sat in the path of a planned bypass in the growing township.
  
Howland lost most of its historical structures. This is one of the last ones left, so it's great to send something on for future generations," retired Historical Preservationist Jay Toth said.  Toth is also a graduate of Howland High School.
 
Howland Historical Society experts and volunteers who love history were intent on preserving the house that was built prior to Ohio becoming a state in 1803. 
 
This move meant overcoming many challenges- a culmination of four years of work.
 
Jason Altobelli donated the house. O-DOT paid around $400,000 needed for the move. 
 
Power companies removed lines temporarily and turned off electricity along the route to keep everyone safe.
 
The Ohio Department of Transportation or ODOT also shut down busy State Routes 82 and 46 with the help of officers from the Ohio Highway Patrol, Howland police, and township firefighters. That task was critical to keeping any traffic getting through that could cause a deadly crash.
 
"Once we got the route survey in O-DOT we can start planning where we need to put our assigned units to make sure no one can get through it that could cause a deadly crash. We had eight state troopers, four Howland police officers, Howland firefighters/paramedics, and the Chief of the Howland Fire Department. We planned for a lot more time. It went very smoothly," Sergeant Erik Golias Trumbull County Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol said. 
 
Preserving the house at its new site near the township schools will take years of restoration.
 
"We want to have a really beautiful setup, grounds, and the house, then we will start restoration inside to try and bring it up to period, which was the 1830s.
 
The house will be turned into a museum to provide future generations to step back in time and see some history of Howland Township.