David Arneke

Someone Really Needs to Save the O. Max Gardner House in Shelby

January 5, 2024

(The first photo above is by Mike Hensdill of The Gastonia Gazette via The Shelby Star.)

The home of one of North Carolina’s most prominent governors is in sad shape. Although it’s listed on the National Register, the mansion has fallen into disrepair. It’s for sale at $396,700, a lot of money but a reasonable $58 per square foot. It’s a landmark worth saving.

Oliver Max Gardner was one of the most significant governors of North Carolina in the 20th century, and the house “is one of the most distinguished residences in the town of Shelby,” its National Register nomination says. Built around 1850, it has 6 bedrooms, 8 full bathrooms and 1 half-bathroom in 6,813 square feet (per county records). It sits well back from the street on a large 2.43-acre lot. In addition to being on the National Register in its own right, it’s in the Central Shelby Historic District on the National Register.

“The house is an early twentieth century overbuilding of a mid-nineteenth century Italianate dwelling, and though remnants of the earlier structure can be seen in places, the house is of thoroughgoing Colonial Revival character … here fully developed in one of the most striking examples of the style in western North Carolina,” its National Register nomination says.

Think Small: The 12 Most Intriguing Bungalows and Cottages Sold in 2023

January 2, 2024

Historic mansions and other big houses tend to draw out-sized attention, overshadowing smaller but still remarkable bungalows and cottages. Here are 12 smaller, and sometimes even affordable, historic homes sold in the Piedmont Triad this year.

Their histories are often less well documented than the typical historic mansion; so, too, are the lives of their owners. But they are long on charm and elegant design. Details on each house are below; click on the address links for more information.

221 Spring Street, Thomasville, $259,000

More of the Best of 2023: 12 Remarkable 20th-Century Houses Sold in 2023

January 1, 2024

The most notable 20th-century historic homes sold in the Piedmont Triad this year are a diverse lot. They range from a 1905 Queen Anne in Troy to Mid-Century classics in Graham, Winston-Salem and, again, Troy. Oddly, the newest of the group is in Old Salem, a masterful 2010 reproduction of a lost house from the 1840s. The year’s only other historic house sale in Old Salem that I found was another reconstruction.

Other standouts include one of the oldest houses in Sedgefield, the party house of one of Gibsonville’s most colorful families and a monumental Neoclassical mansion no longer used as a residence in Winston-Salem. Details on each house are below; click on the address links for more information.

Best of 2023: 14 Notable 19th-Century Houses Sold in 2023

December 31, 2023

*400 W. Pine Street in Mount Airy, built in 1896, sold for $615,000*

Two National Register houses and six antebellum homes are among 14 remarkable 19th-century houses sold in the Piedmont Triad this year. The homes are well scattered round the Piedmont’s small towns and rural areas — two each in Alamance, Guilford, Montgomery, Stokes and Surry counties; one each in Caswell, Forsyth, Moore and Rockingham (and, curiously, none in Greensboro or Winston-Salem). Details on each house are below; click on the address links for more information.

The George Grimsley House and a Sometimes Shocking New Reality for Home Sales

December 15, 2023

Higher interest rates are inflicting pain on home buyers and sellers alike. Sellers are having to lower their prices, but any benefit to buyers is largely, perhaps totally, cancelled out by higher mortgage payments. This week’s closing on the George Grimsley House in Greensboro is a striking example of the impact.

The Grimsley house is a big Queen Anne/Colonial Revival in the Fisher Park Historic District, built in 1907. It’s named after a historic figure almost synonymous with the city through Grimsley High School. I wrote about it after it was listed — it’s an outstanding house. The initial price in February was $1.295 million ($363/square foot). That was definitely at the high end, but it didn’t seem unlikely for a top-of-the-line home in a high-demand historic district. It was for sale for 10 months, longer than you might expect. The closing price was $805,000, a stunning $490,000 below the initial price (38 percent).

The Five Most Interesting Houses Sold in November

December 2, 2023

109 E. Haywood Lane, Mount Gilead, Montgomery County
The Harris-Caffey House

Sold for $440,000 on November 16, 2023 (listed at $439,000)
4 bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms, 4,034 square feet, 0.54 acre
Price/square foot: $109
Built in 1898
The property includes a gazebo and a fountain, both in the front yard; a two-car garage; and a small storage building. The house is the only residence among 10 structures listed as “cultural resources” in the town’s comprehensive plan (p. 12).

The Four Most Interesting Historic Homes Sold in the Triad in October

November 2, 2023

4118 Oak Ridge Road, Summerfield, Guilford County
The Alexander Strong Martin House

Sold for $85,000 on October 30, 2023 (listed at $110,000)
2,694 square feet, 0.66 acre
Price/square foot: $32
Built circa 1835
Preservation North Carolina: “The Alexander Strong Martin House is an early, modestly rendered example of the Greek Revival style featuring solid brick construction and finely crafted details …”

An 1860 Cabin in Stokes County, on 29 Acres With a Conservation Easement

October 13, 2023

The Piedmont Land Conservancy is selling 29 acres in Stokes County that includes a “very rustic” 1860 cabin.

“Our intent is to sell the property subject to a conservation easement via a request for proposals process,” the organization says. “This will allow us to conserve these 29 acres and use the proceeds to further other land conservation projects.” The deadline for proposals is October 30. Click here for details and contact information.

Huntlyholme, A 1924 Mansion in Winston-Salem, $3 Million

October 7, 2023

The rise of Charlotte and Raleigh as nationally prominent cities makes it easy to overlook Winston-Salem’s status 100 years ago as North Carolina’s biggest and richest city. Its heyday is long past, but an outstanding collection of historic mansions is a legacy that lives on. A particularly remarkable example now for sale is Huntlyholme, a 9,300 square-foot mansion in the Westview neighborhood.

Built in 1924, the house was designed by architects Charles Barton Keen and William Roy Wallace with original landscaping by Thomas Sears, all prominent names in Winston-Salem architectural history. The address is 2900 Country Club Drive.