The Architect Said Tear It Down —Then the Old Man Fired Up His 1944 FWD Wrecker and Saved the Church
In October of 1979, the bell tower of a 132-year-old Vermont church tilted 12 degrees after its foundation gave way. Structural engineers condemned it. The state historic preservation board said demolition was the only safe option. The whole town was watching. Then someone called Silas Patch. Silas was 79 years old. He had spent forty years moving, lifting, and straightening New England's old timber-frame buildings — barns, mills, covered bridges, and churches that everyone else said were beyond saving. His truck was a 1944 FWD wrecker his father had bought at a war surplus auction in 1946 for $310. The architect laughed and told the historic board that Silas was going to bring the whole tower down on top of himself. Silas walked around the church three times before he said a word. This is a story about what 132 years of timber-frame joinery can still do — if the right man asks it the right way. 🔔 Subscribe for stories about the machines and the men that modern equipment forgot. New story every day. #FWD #VintageWrecker #NewEngland #OldIron #TimberFrame #TrueStory #WorkingClass
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