A House on the Move in Santa Monica

The historic shotgun house travels down a city street on the back of a flatbed truck on the way to its new home.

Why would a house move? And how is it done? Students are fascinated by the novelty of a house being transported by truck down a city street. The following resources use this curious event to help students think through the process of house moving and changes in the local community. Our Shotgun House was rehabilitated on its new site, and serves as a model of rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. Today the Shotgun House serves a Preservation Resource Center and a go-to place for further explorations of local history.

The activity guide consists of:

  1. History of the Shotgun House
  2. How to Move a House
  3. The Shotgun House After the Move
  4. Reasons for Moving a House
  5. Literature Connection
  6. Art Connection
  7. Other Resources

Click here to see A House on the Move in Santa Monica activity guide.