The Davidson House is the Grande Dame of Gibsonville and is on the market for the first time in almost 50 years. Built by civic leader and industrialist, Berry Davidson, who designed and built cotton, saw and grist mills, the home is Victorian with Arts and Crafts elements. Davidson was mayor of Gibsonville from 1907-1911 and is noted for playing a major role in industrializing Gibsonville and the central Piedmont.The seller purchased the house from Davidson’s descendants in 1975 and updated it with Colonial touches, popular around the Bicentennial Celebration. Aside from kitchen and baths that reflect that period, the remainder of the details appear to be largely intact and the house has been well-loved for decades.The house features generously proportioned rooms with oil-finished hardwoods. Millwork is heavy with straightforward details and demonstrates the quality and detail of construction. Interior walls are plaster and make the house very quiet. Windows are large and imbue the house with soft light. Large sidelights and French doors add more light and charm. Much of the glass appears to be original. All hardware seems to be in place too!Downstairs ceilings are 9.5 feet. Fireplaces grace the living room and den. The dining room is large and features a built-in breakfront cabinet. The kitchen is very large for the period, with lots of cabinetry, a pantry and Viking range.Upstairs, spacious bedrooms flank a large, open hallway. Fireplaces accent two of the bedrooms. Up front, there’s a doorway to the balcony which overlooks an expansive yard with many mature specimens and an elegant semi-circular driveway. The corner lot itself provides a great perspective of a small Southern town from the balcony.Exterior details include detailed wood siding and carpentry with exquisite crafting of the eaves, detailed installation of gutters and downspouts, some of which may be copper, metal roofing on the porch roof, a screened porch section and a fabulous porte-cochere. Out back there is a gardening shed, workshop and a modern single-car garage.
