Dukes Farm House being Dismantled

[DoubleShot]

I got this sent to me on Facebook and am posting it here so you all know about this. Hope this is appreciated. I will miss that house.

Own a piece of the Dukes homesteadAs you have probably already heard the Dukes farmhouse in Georgia is being dismantled. The owner was told it was a safety hazard and he is currently having it torn down. The contractor is saving the pieces and selling them. The money he raises will help pay him for the job.

If you are interested in owning a piece of the Dukes farmhouse please contact this contractor, Chuck Hewatt, as soon as possible. His email address is hollis42@comcast.net

Here is an email which he sent to Jon Holland to be posted for fans. I am copying and pasting this with Jon's permission.

_______________

Hello All!

Thank you for contacting me regarding Dukes of Hazzards Home Place demolition. I am currently in the early phases of the process. There are several prices I would like to give to you all and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me.

Each exterior log will be sold by the foot for $50 a piece.

The tin roof will be sold one square foot at $20 a piece.

The smaller pieces of the granite chimney will be sold for $25 a piece.

The interior boards will be sold in one foot pieces for $15 a piece.

I also have professional pictures as well that can be ordered for $15 a piece(8X10) with the picture of how the home use to look during the filming and a picture of how it looked before I started the tear down process.

April 9,2011 will be the first Saturday that we will do a bulk day where everyone can come buy their piece of history. If you need to work out other arrangements just let me know.

Of course if you would not be able to travel to pick up your piece but you still would like one shipping and handling will be added on your price.

Cash preferred upon receipt.

Thank you again for contacting me. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Chuck Hewatt

________

So here is your chance to own a piece of history.

[RogerDuke]

Thanks for informing us DoubleShot.

We've had some tough news lately with the passing of Lulu, Swamp Molly and Paul Baxley. Now we're losing the original Duke farm. I know that's not as tragic as losing a precious human life but....sentimental guy that I am....it saddens me deeply.

Of course it's expected. We've been talking about it for awhile now.

I'm happy for the opportunity to buy a piece of history.

It sounds like a legitimate offer but it would be nice if Mr Hewatt could post pictures here on the HazzardNet to reassure us.

Better yet, it would be awesome if Nash would log on again. He's the grandson of the man who owns the old farmhouse.

Like I said, we've sure had our share of bad news here lately. But, we're family here. We have to take the bad with the good.....and there's sure a lot of good when it comes to the greatest TV show in history and the best website on the internet!

[bolukeduke]

thanks for letting us know doubleshot. I can't believe that the dukes farm is being torn down. It seems like just yesterday i was there standing next to it. I thought that the farm couldn't be torn down because it was a historic landmark?

[John's No 1 Fan]

I'm glad that got posted on here. I am the person who sent it out on Facebook. I just had not had time to get here yet. The info came from Jon Holland and it is legit. I've already contacted Chuck Hewatt about buying a piece of a log and he replied telling me he would get back with me soon about the shipping charge.

Phyllis

[RogerDuke]

I want to buy some items as well.

It will be a little consolation.

I'm taking this pretty hard. That might sound silly to some people but I know you folks here understand.

I had considered making a trip down there someday but losing the farmhouse takes a lot of the incentive away.

Once again, thanks for informing us DoubleShot.

[CDoherty95]

I thought it was a historic civil war cabin and therefore couldn't be touched?

What happens to the land now?it it just being let sit there or will a replica take the originals place?

[bolukeduke]

CDoherty95 thats what i thought. I thought it was historic and wasn't aloud to be torn down do to that reason but i guess it doesn't matter

[RogerDuke]

The story as I understood it....is that it's a historical landmark because of it's Civil War history but since no organization has money to restore it and it's in danger of falling in, it's permissible to tear it down.

Hopefully we'll get clarification from Nash or someone else who knows for sure.

[bolukeduke]

Thanks Roger for clearing that up. I can't beleive that soon the far will be gone.

[RogerDuke]

I sent Mr Hewatt an e-mail and I'm ordering a couple pieces of the chimney.

I asked him if there were any unusual pieces available, like door knobs or anything, and he said they're all spoken for.

Later I thought about it and I realized he must be a pretty honest guy. If he wasn't he would have just gotten any old door knob and sold it to me claiming it was from the farm.

With that thought in mind, I recommend anyone who's looking for a piece of Dukes history, take advantage of it while you can. The farmhouse is where it all began. Since the farmhouse can't be saved at least we have a chance to get some souveniers from it.

The whole thing makes me very sad but unfortunately it can't be prevented.

I know HazzardNet member NASH tried to save it and I appreciate his efforts.

It's like losing a member of the family.

[Song]

Here it is as of yesterday. I took a tour of some of the filming sites. I am glad that I went as I just found this site and read the news.

[RogerDuke]

Welcome to the HazzardNet Terry.

Thanks for updating us with this picture.

This is breaking my heart but I suppose all good things must come to an end.

After seeing this picture I suppose I'd better change my order. It looks like pieces of the chimney would be a little expensive to ship...LOL

[Hazzard History]

Well, here's my thought on the dismantling price.

$145,000?

I used Google Earth as a rough measurement and pictures to calculate the height.

Here are my calcs:

Roof 940 SF x $20/sf =$18,800

Exterior sides minus the opening 32 ft x $50/foot x height(20ft) x two sides=$64,000

Exterior ends 20ft x 2 sides x $50/ftx 20 height= $40,000

Interior about same size as exterior but at $15/foot = $19,200

Chimney ?? per piece $25 x 120 sf? = $3,000

That's $145,000 to tear it down????

Just wondering.

[numb]

I emailed the guy to find out about what I could afford to get. However I have not had any response back yet. Hopefully he does. Sad to see that place go.

[DoubleShot]

You are all very Welcome. It's sad that it's happening. But times change sometimes.

thanks for letting us know doubleshot. I can't believe that the dukes farm is being torn down. It seems like just yesterday i was there standing next to it. I thought that the farm couldn't be torn down because it was a historic landmark?

[RogerDuke]

numb, he hasn't answered my last two e-mails either. I'm starting to worry that I'm not going to end up with any souveniers.

Hazzard History, I'm guessing it's not all going to sell and he'll get nowhere near the ammount you calculated. Well, it's a supply and demand world and if he makes a profit, that wouldn't bother me. By the way, welcome to the HazzardNet!

I'm starting to wonder if someone bought everything for a lump sum.

Hopefully we'll hear from him soon.

[RogerDuke]

I got an e-mail from Mr Hewatt and I'm sending my order off this morning.

I'm excited about owning a piece of Dukes of Hazzard history.

Like I posted earlier, it's a little consolation and will make losing the farm slightly easier to take.

[RogerDuke]

I got my six boards in the mail today and I love them!

At first I was worried that when they arrived I'd be too sad about the farm being tore down to enjoy them but that wasn't the case at all.

Fortunately we've had a couple years to emotionally prepare for the loss of the farm after NASH became a HazzardNet member and warned us it really couldn't be avoided.

I've accepted the fact that the farm is history. I'm still saddened but there's nothing I can do about it and have no choice but to move on.

Owning the boards is tremendously comforting. I hate traveling so I never got to see the farm but holding (and owning) something that is a piece of Dukes of Hazzard history is a very special feeling. I really can't describe it. Calling it spirutual isn't right because God is much more important than anything on this Earth but in a Dukes of Hazzard perspective, I guess I would descibe it as almost spiritual.

After all, the farm in Georgia is where it all began. The Georgia episodes started something that has had a profound influence on my life. After God and family I can think of nothing else that has influenced my life more than the Dukes of Hazzard. More than three decades after those 5 historic episodes in the Georgia farmhouse, that's still true.

Thanks so much to DoubleShot for originally making the story about the farm available on this thread. Thanks to Chuck Hewatt for giving us the opportunity to own a piece of history.

For any of you still considering owning something, you can go back to the original post on this thread and then e-mail Chuck at hollis42@comcast.net.

I'm not sure what's still available but time's running out. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.

By the way, after corresponding with Chuck via e-mail I had no doubts about the authenticity of the boards but he sent 6 certificates that were notarized by a notary public from Walton County Georgia.....very professional!

I'll value my treasures forever. I'm sure a lot of folks wouldn't be able to understand why....but that's one reason I love the HazzardNet so much...you folks get it!

[ldhenson]

Hey RogerDuke, happy to hear you got the boards especially since they mean so much to you! It's good to know they're in good hands. Were I not in a budget crunch I'd have seriously considered getting something myself. What are they like, do you have any pictures?

[RogerDuke]

They're a foot long and about 8 inches wide. They're from interior walls so they're in decent shape even though they look real old. They're unpainted and the edges are tongue-in-groove.

I'm going to have to rewatch the Georgia episodes to see if I can find the wall although I don't have my hopes up that I'll se able to see the exact wall and even if I do, I can't be 100% sure my boards ever appeared on the TV screen. They were part of the farmhouse and that's good enough for me.

[ldhenson]

I agree, whether they showed up on camera is beside the point. Every part of a structure contributed to the whole.

[DaneyDuke]

Well, here's my thought on the dismantling price.

$145,000?

I used Google Earth as a rough measurement and pictures to calculate the height.

Here are my calcs:

Roof 940 SF x $20/sf =$18,800

Exterior sides minus the opening 32 ft x $50/foot x height(20ft) x two sides=$64,000

Exterior ends 20ft x 2 sides x $50/ftx 20 height= $40,000

Interior about same size as exterior but at $15/foot = $19,200

Chimney ?? per piece $25 x 120 sf? = $3,000

That's $145,000 to tear it down????

Just wondering.

Great question. Why buy a piece of something that might or might not have been on a tv screen, when you can support the living actors of the tv series?

[RogerDuke]

Great question. Why buy a piece of something that might or might not have been on a tv screen, when you can support the living actors of the tv series?

Good point Daney but I say to do both!

[bwgath]

Just read this thread for the first time, I'm shocked! I just tried contacting Mr. Hewatt to see if there was anything left. I doubt it at this point but just maybe I'll get lucky. A shot in the dark so to speak.

[MARK RUTLEDGE]

I have a story about the lob cabin. I only learned in the past couple of months that this was used in the Dukes of Hazzard. I have been visiting this site for years without knowing this. My ancestors built this cabin. My grandfather was born in this cabin in 1887. His name was Frank Joseph Rutledge. His grandfather was Newton R. Rutledge (7/7/1861-12/26/1920). His father was Joseph Newton Rutledge (8/14/1828-2/21/1908). I recently looked up the site on Google Earth and found all the pins pointing to the Dukes Of Hazzard websites. WOW. Talk about 2 different directions taking you to the same place.

Mark Rutledge

markrutledge@yahoo.com