Webbley, also known as the O. Max Gardner House, is a historic home located at Shelby,

Cleveland County, North Carolina Cleveland County is a County (United States), county located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the western Piedmont, on the southern border of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, t ...

. It was built in 1852, and overbuilt in 1907 in the

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...

style. It is a two-story frame dwelling with a low-pitched hip roof, flat roof deck, and roof

balustrade A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

. It has two hip roof rear ells. The front facade features a full-height, flat-roof

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...

supported by fluted

Ionic order The Ionic order is one of the three canonic classical order, orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric order, Doric and the Corinthian order, Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan order, Tuscan (a plainer Doric) ...

columns. The home acquired its named shortly after it was bought by James L. Webb in 1911. Webbley was the home of Governor

Oliver Max Gardner Oliver Max Gardner (March 22, 1882February 6, 1947) was an American politician who served as the List of Governors of North Carolina, 57th governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. A member of the Southern Democrats, Democr ...

(1882–1947) and his wife,

Fay Webb-Gardner Fay Lamar Webb-Gardner (September 7, 1885 – January 16, 1969) was an American political hostess, businesswoman, and philanthropist. As the wife of Oliver Max Gardner, she served as the Second Lady of North Carolina from 1917 to 1923 and as Firs ...

, from 1911 until his death. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1980. The home was vacated in 1981 and vacant until it was purchased in 1989 by Oliver Max Gardner III and renovated. It opened as a bed and breakfast inn in 1993. It is located in the

Central Shelby Historic District Central Shelby Historic District is a national historic district located at Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina. It encompasses 229 contributing buildings in the central business district and surrounding residential areas of Shelby. The ...

References

Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina Italianate architecture in North Carolina Colonial Revival architecture in North Carolina Houses completed in 1907 Houses in Cleveland County, North Carolina National Register of Historic Places in Cleveland County, North Carolina Historic district contributing properties in North Carolina * {{ClevelandCountyNC-NRHP-stub