GREEN GABLES
Melbourne, Florida Historic Treasure

By  Mike Miller September 10, 2025

Tucked away along the gentle curve of the Indian River in historic Melbourne, Green Gables stands as a living, breathing testament to late-19th-century life.

This charming Queen Anne–style home, built as a winter retreat in 1896 by William T. and Nora Stanford Wells, now welcomes visitors as a living history museum, inviting them to stroll its grounds, step back in time, and feel the pulse of days gone by.

Green Gables Today

Green Gables wasn’t just any home—it was a beacon of modernity.

Among the very first in Melbourne to feature electricity and two indoor bathrooms, the Wells family built far more than a cozy abode; they built a legacy.

William and Nora were true civic pioneers. Passionate about education and culture, they donated land and funds for the town’s first high school, auditorium, library, and even Melbourne’s beloved Wells Park. 

Green Gables Before Restoration

Over the years, the home endured hurricanes and the threat of demolition, but tireless preservationists and volunteers rallied, raising funds—and in 2023, ownership transferred to the nonprofit Green Gables at Historic Riverview Village, securing its future as a community treasure.

You’ll find Green Gables at 1501 South Harbor City Boulevard, nestled along the tranquil Indian River in Melbourne.

Tours are offered every Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM at a modest admission fee of $10 per person—no reservation necessary.

Children under 12 and students visit for free. The house is also available for private events—weddings, teas, educational outings, themed parties—and serves as a vibrant community venue.

Be sure to check their website for their biggest upcoming events:  the Annual Harvest Festival along with Haunted Mansion, called the House on Foggy Bluff.

• Green Gables features an original fuse box that continued functioning well into modern times—an artifact of its pioneering electrical wiring. 
• Inside the house, children of the Wells family stored trunks in a special “trunk room” upstairs—and the Wells even installed a pulley system to hoist their luggage in and out through the window. 
  
  
• Nora Wells wasn’t only genteel—she was a formidable advocate for literacy. She maintained a library of books inside the home, welcomed neighbors to borrow them, and ensured that local children could read in the very “trunk room” of Green Gables.
  
  There’s a delightful documentary titled Forgotten Enchantress, narrated from the house’s perspective, sharing the story of Green Gables and the family who built it—and it’s available for free viewing on the site. 

GREEN GABLES WEBSITE