“A Woodworking Masterpiece” <br>Wall Street Journal 11/2020<br>An Amazing Experience 🥂
Queen Anne Victorian property built in 1898 by Charles Davis, then the President of the Davis Table Co. at the height of fine furniture manufacturing in the late 1800's. Mr. Davis spared no cost in building this lavish property & personally hand-picked all of the mahogany in South America, shipped back to his factory in Shelbyville, where his master craftsmen refined for use throughout the home. Fine green onyx slabs adorn the parlor fireplace which Mr. Davis had imported from Russia in 1898. All of the original gas chandeliers & sconces are still present in the home (most converted to electric). After a decade of restoration the property has now been fully restored to it's original beauty & kitchen updated to an executive level kitchen with modern amenities. The formal dining room still has the original 12' lion claw dining table, chairs, & built-in buffet which were all hand carved & are original to the home. All stain glass windows are original to the home & have somehow survived for 120 years nearly in mint condition. Hard wood floors throughout the home, 2 staircases (back staircase was used by the servant(s) along with a back living area of the home. The original (once plumbing was installed) sinks & claw foot tub has been fully restored & are once again in use today. As you can imagine owning the largest furniture factory of the time allowed Mr. Davis to leverage every available resource when constructing the home - & no amount of money was spared.
In the 1920’s the compound became home to Brigadier General DW Deprez & family & remained in the Deprez family for the next 60 years.
It lies in the heart of Shelbyville's nationally recognized historical district. The home has 3 floors - the 3rd being an open 'attic' that could easily be utilized as additional living space. The front wrap around porch is a whopping 20' x 40' & unheard of for its time. There is also a side reading porch & 2 additional patios for entertaining. The property has private gated parking & the original carriage house is still utilized today. This is only a small highlight of the detail within the home & every visitor we've ever had is amazed by how much the pictures don't do the property justice.
• Short-term executive housing • Private Engagements • Corporate sponsored events • 24-hour external video surveillance • Private gated parking & access to the property • Executive kitchen to facilitate large groups • 6000 square feet over three floors • Recreation/ Game Room on 3rd floor • Half Acre gated yard with several patios & social spaces outside • 20’ x 40’ wrap around porch for entertaining • Stunning original woodworking craftsmanship & gas line chandeliers/sconce • Original hand-crafted 12+’ Lion Claw Dining Table (crafted locally in 1898)
The home is fully furnished & can support larger groups - there is no shortage of space in the home. We've been antique collectors for over 20 years & we've decorated the home with our finest antiques & oddities for our guests enjoyment. Our guests often feel like they're staying in their very own personal museum.
If you're looking for a VIP experience & love the architecture & appreciate the historical beauty of a Victorian masterpiece - this 120+ year old property will leave you breathless. We've had families stay a week & still feel like they haven't absorbed everything the home has to offer.
As we continue the preservation of this property we've created a Facebook/Insta page to chronicle our journey. Even if this isn't the property for you but would like to follow us - we can be found here @charlesdavis1898.
Help support our ongoing preservation as we share this amazing property with guests from around the world!
*Nightly base rate up to 8 overnight guests. Each additional guest (over 8) $50 per night
Property manager
Charles (Bill) Nicholson
Languages
English
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available
Barbecue grill
Fireplace
Have a question?
Beta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
No unauthorized use of property or additional unauthorized visitors without written consent of the owner.
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: We do offer Private Event options.
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
About the area
Shelbyville
Located in Shelbyville, this holiday home is in the city centre. Bear Chase Golf Club and Cypress Run Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Sunset Park and Burnside Pit. Spend some time exploring the area's activities, including winery tours.
Shelbyville, IN
What's nearby
Grover Center: Museum and Historical Society - 4 min walk - 0.4 km
Shelbyville VA Clinic - 3 min drive - 3.0 km
Blue River Memorial Park - 5 min drive - 2.3 km
Indiana Grand Racing and Casino - 8 min drive - 9.7 km
Indiana Live! - 8 min drive - 9.9 km
Getting around
Indianapolis International Airport (IND) - 47 min drive
Restaurants
Casey's General Store - 3 min drive
McDonald's - 3 min drive
McDonald's - 3 min drive
Pizza King - 8 min walk
Cracker Barrel - 4 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is “A Woodworking Masterpiece” <br>Wall Street Journal 11/2020<br>An Amazing Experience 🥂 pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at “A Woodworking Masterpiece” <br>Wall Street Journal 11/2020<br>An Amazing Experience 🥂?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at “A Woodworking Masterpiece” <br>Wall Street Journal 11/2020<br>An Amazing Experience 🥂?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is “A Woodworking Masterpiece” <br>Wall Street Journal 11/2020<br>An Amazing Experience 🥂 located?
Located in the centre of Shelbyville, this family-friendly holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Grover Center: Museum and Historical Society, Sunset Park and The Strand Theatre. Burnside Pit and Morrison Park are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Our friends group of 6 adults ages 45-53 loved staying at this property. The house is a great example of a preserved American home from the late 1800s.
Our stay started with meeting Bill (the owner) and getting a tour of the home. He went out of his way to make sure we felt welcome in this museum of a home and we did. The house is huge, the facilities all work well. The kitchen is beautiful and very updated.
We were their to go to Gencon in Indianapolis and we drove into the city every day, walked the gaming convention and came home and played the games we bought.
The neighborhood was quiet, the front porch is just a zen like experience.
I can not say enough how wonderful Bill was to work with. He was quick to reply always, and made the experience wonderful.
Definitely stay here, this is what we want VRBO be able to do, give you an experience that no other place can.
The mansion was beautiful and our stay was very fun! We were able to share the experience with about 25 family members who came over to visit on the front porch, around the huge dining table, and in the sitting rooms! We enjoyed some friendly competition with the scavenger hunt. Would love to come back!
I had the privilege of serving in a special US Army unit in Europe during the early 1970’s, called the 7th Army Soldiers Chorus. Every couple of years we get together somewhere for a reunion. This year it was in Indianapolis. Some of us stay in hotels, while others stay in a VRBO rental.
I happened to find the Charles Davis Mansion on VRBO located in Shelbyville, just twenty minutes down the freeway from our host’s house. It was perfect in every way!! There were 8 of us that stayed there and we absolutely loved it. We could have searched forever and not have found a better place to stay. It is indeed a mansion and we had the entire spacious mansion to ourselves. There are a ton of wonderful old artifacts in the mansion that one can enjoy looking at, picking up and examining, and reading about.
After the daily activities of the reunion, we found ourselves back at the mansion in one of the many sitting/living areas further enjoying each other’s company and reminiscing of the past. We found ourselves on the large front porch in the mornings waking up with a fresh cup of coffee and looking around at all the other huge houses on the block. We wanted to avail ourselves of the fire pit in the back yard but unfortunately, time and weather would not permit.
And you would NEVER find nicer, more kind, gracious and personable owners than Bill and Jessica. They had flowers waiting for the lady of the house, pictures of our group from the time we sang in Germany, and a couple of bottles of wine for us guys. We had the privilege of inviting Bill and Jessica to our host’s house on Saturday evening for dinner where we performed a mini “concert” for them, albeit not as good as when we were young. You will never meet better people than they.
I would not hesitate for a moment to stay there again and I am recommending it to everyone I know.
Thank you Bill and Jessica for making our reunion special!
Beautiful, historic mansion was the perfect family holiday getaway
Our family spent Thanksgiving in the Charles Davis Mansion and had a wonderful time exploring each beautiful room, checking out the unique items that decorate the space. It was even better than we expected!
Bill and Jessica were very communicative and accommodating hosts who made the stay all the more pleasant. Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind experience with plenty of space for a large party.
Hannah K.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019
About the host
Hosted by Charles (Bill) Nicholson
My wife & I are both professionals in the Indianapolis area. She is a Nurse Practitioner & I work for a local financial institution. I'm a USMC veteran & we've raised 3 girls (2 now in college) & 1 entering high school - which is why we unfortunately won't be making this our forever home for a few more years. We both volunteer with multiple organizations - I'm a Big Brother mentor for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Indiana & regularly assist with our local Indy Honor Flight chapter having escorted multiple Hoosier veterans on trips to Washington DC. My wife is the coach of a non-profit competitive jump rope team in Avon, IN & has traveled as far as China to judge & compete. We've been very blessed in life so volunteering & giving back to our community has always been paramount in our lives. We've worked very hard in life to raise a great family & always pride ourselves on the values of honesty, integrity, & commitment to family. A chance meeting late last year gave us the unbelievable opportunity to take over where the prior owners left off in preserving the property. We look forward to continuing this amazing journey & making the property available for the public to admire. In today's fast pace world this is a welcome opportunity to slow down & appreciate history.