Watercolor artist, Witha Lacuesta, certainly does project the tranquility of the home and grounds of Green Gables in her painting on this month’s cover. Somehow when artists and visitors transcend on the property, calmness flourishes not only inside with the hominess of the rooms, but outside on the grounds overlooking the Indian River Lagoon.
Green Gables appears grand on the property, despite what years of neglect have done. Built in 1896, Green Gables was wired for electricity and had the first indoor toilet and bathtub. Using a generator and artesian well it had functioning lights and plumbing. The home initially served as the Wells’ winter residence. The nonprofit, Green Gables at Historic Riverview Village, Inc., is working tirelessly to raise funds to erase the years of neglect and preserve one of only three Queen Anne homes left in Melbourne. Additionally, the group works to honor the legacy of William & Nora Wells a, family that provided many things for the young community. With three high school age children, a secondary school in Melbourne did not exist, therefore Mr. Wells hired a college professor, rented a building, and provided for a place for such classes to take place.
The group also pictures the community using the grounds for small affairs and outdoor events. As a museum it will serve as a local educational site for Melbourne history filling the void for the area. What a better way to embrace pride in our community and pay tribute to its past.
This has been an ambitious endeavor for the entirely volunteer Green Gables members, and we encourage our community to see what Witha Lacuesta sees when she paints Green Gables. Please embrace Green Gable’s vision for this architecture and family legacy to be safeguarded. As someone close to Green Gable’s always comments, “If everyone in Brevard County donated five dollars, we could complete restoration sooner than later”.
In the meantime, we work tirelessly with fundraising and required planning and paperwork. We are like the ducks at Wells Park, we look like we are floating along so smoothly on the water, but our little feet are just paddling away underneath the surface.
Please visit our website – https://www.greengables.org