property. If they fail, the
historic site will be sold
to developers and could
become just another gas
station or office building.
A small group of dedicated
volunteers and I refuse to
let this happen. We have
made necessary repairs,
staged the home with
period correct furniture,
started a Living History
Education Program where
schoolchildren, scouts
Why You Should Fight For
GREEN GABLES
In 1895, successful metallurgist William
Twining Wells and his wife, Nora, a New
York socialite, settled on Melbourne to
build their winter home.
Green Gables was built in 1896 as a basic four square
house, but soon became a beautiful Queen Anne style
home. It is located along the scenic Indian River on
US 1, just south of Hibiscus Boulevard. It was the first
home in Melbourne with an indoor bathroom and tub
and the first house wired for electricity. The original site
consisted of 150 acres. Today, the house sits on 1⅓ acres
with beautiful oak and palm trees.
Mr. and Mrs. Wells
proceeded to donate large
amounts of land to the
city, built the first library,
auditorium and high
school. Along with the
other prominent families,
such as the Goodes, Platts,
Meehans and Gleasons,
the Wells family brought
culture, entertainment,
commerce and class to
Melbourne.
Now, I help fight to
save this historic home.
The nonprofit Green
Gables at Historic
Riverview Village, Inc.
has until April to raise
the remaining $285,000
needed for the $1 million
dollar purchase in order
to save the house and
and homeschool groups
come to experience what
life was like in the late
1800s, making soap or ice
cream and playing games
the children would have
played back then.
We hold community
events like Easter egg
hunts, a living nativity,
harvest festival, themed
parties, tribute dinners,
concerts, pet adoption
events and more. We’ve
had two weddings and
numerous photo sessions.
We offer tours every
EVERYTHING culture
Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2
p.m. and often host “tea
on the octagon porch.”
Green Gables has
proven to be an oasis
in the middle of a busy,
developing downtown. It
should be obvious, then,
why I spend so much
time, effort and personal
finances to try and save
Green Gables and restore
it as a living history
museum and center for
community engagement
in the heart of Melbourne.
Nothing can compare with
learning by experiencing —
being able to touch, to see,
to do. Our living history
education program touches
the hearts and minds of so
many children and makes
our local and state history
come alive for them. The
children who experience
our program always ask
when they can we return.
We need to make sure
they have Green Gables to
come back to, and it’s not
reduced to just words and
photos in a book.
This is what motivates
me to work so hard. We
MUST find a way to
save this historical and
environmental treasure.
Marion Ambrose is a wife, mother, teacher,
published author and community volunteer. She
serves as president of Green Gables at Historic
Riverview Village, Inc. and as president of GFWC
Melbourne Woman’s Club — a community service
organization founded in 1912.
Photos by
Christina Stuart
GREEN GABLES
To learn more and help with fundraising of the
$285,000 needed to obtain a matching grant and
save Green Gables, visit www.greengables.org or call
President Marion Ambrose at 321-794-8901.
march ‘20 // 063
/www.greengables.org