179 Montford Ave.
Rebecca & Eric Halvorson

Known as the Dr. C. C. Orr House, this impressive 3,000 square-foot, 2½-story shingle-style dwelling was commissioned in 1891 by retired U.S. Naval Commander George Thomas Davis of Greenfield, Massachusetts. The home features a sweeping roofline, highly unusual Romanesque-style windows, a substantial stone foundation, shingles over weatherboards, and a deeply recessed side porch and entryway.

In an article for the Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County, local historian Dale Slusser observed that “the sophistication of the design and its style resembled the Shingle-styled houses being built at the time on the northeast coasts of Massachusetts and Maine.” Further research indicated the design was likely adapted from “Design 580”, a plan published by New York architect Robert W. Shoppell, founder of the Co-Operative Building Plan Association. Slusser explains that Commander Davis, together with builder Milton Harding, skillfully adapted this “country home” pattern to its urban setting and narrow lot by rotating the house ninety degrees, placing its intended “front” toward the side yard.

In 2018, Rebecca and Eric Halvorson purchased the property and undertook an extensive interior and exterior restoration, carefully preserving the home’s rare architectural features and historic character.