Rod Cartwright stood silent as a demolition crew went to work last Friday morning, carefully tearing down a home that’s stood tall for four generations in his family.

“It’s one of the oldest houses ever built on Main Street,” Cartwright said of the estimated 1,500-square-foot, two-story home that was built in 1906. “It’s been in my family since the ’50’s and has quite a history.

“Unfortunately, the lack of foundation has caused it to deteriorate over the years to the point it’s become a liability,” he said.

So the worn and weathered house at 1807 E. Main St., slowly came down as family, friends and neighbors looked on.

“Years and years of memories … but she couldn’t stand up and had to go,” said LaWanda Cartwright, who grew up with sister Kaye in the house during her junior and senior high school years.

LaWanda’s parents, Harry and Mattie Gilliam, bought the home and property from the original owner for $3,000 back in 1952. They later bought the rest of the land around the home for $2,000.

A fire damaged a part of the house but was repaired.

The house remained in the family over the years. The Rod and Jenae Cartwright family occupied it for seven years, and maintained it.

But the house without a foundation gradually gave way to Father Time.

“Many memories,” Rod Cartwright said. “A favorite thing to do was to come out on the front porch, talk and sip our coffee in the mornings.”

The family intends to keep the lot and rebuild in the future.