The land on which this federal townhouse was built was owned by Mark Pringle (1761-1819) from whose estate John Mitchell bought it in 1839. Pringle had owned large amounts of land in the area and it was to Pringle’s house on the outskirts of town that some residents retreated for protection during the War of 1812 as the town burned. A photo exists showing the south side of this building with the old railroad station in the background at a time when the roads were surfaced with oyster shells. The Maryland Historical Trust estimates that the house was built c. 1840. This would mean that John Mitchell (1799-1891) and M. Eliza Mitchell (1812-1881) would have built it prior to selling the property to Samuel West and John Vannort in 1841. The house is thought to have always been a double house, but for many years both sides were owned by the same person.

In 1849, John and Elizabeth Vannort sold the brick house to John Lumsden. He sold this property to Patrick Boyd (1818-1893) in 1851, in addition to having sold the land at 517 North Adams Street to Boyd. This brick building was painted dark red with white trim for several decades.

By 1889 this was owned by Albert and Elizabeth Leffler and then Robert and Elizabeth Vanneman. Alonzo R. “Lon” Walker (1859-1942) and Myrtle May Walker lived in this house in the early 1900s, Alonzo having bought it from Robert K. Vanneman in 1895. Alonzo Walker was a bridge carpenter for many years and also ran a tavern nearby (the address of which is still being researched). He also was the first captain of the Division 1 Fire House, located just down the street from this building.

The daughter of Alonzo and Myrtle Walker, Elsie Mae Walker, was born in this house in 1910 and married William Herman Schweers (1912-1998). Although William, a fisherman, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, his parents ran a hotel and fishing business from 1924 to 1963 on the Susquehanna River near Rock Run called “Schweers Landing.” That business passed down to William and Elsie but when the State of Maryland incorporated their property into the Susquehanna Park they had to find a new home and work.

Since Elsie’s parents still owned this property they moved back to Havre de Grace into this home. They had one son, Herman Nicholas Schweers, Sr. (1936-2000). Elsie and William took over running a grocery store that was located next door to this home at 526-528 North Adams Street. The store there on the corner had been owned and run by Harry B. Atkinson (1893-1960) and Emma Rae Atkinson for many years when the Schweers bought it from them in 1953. Harry Atkinson had also served on the City Council during the 1930s.

This house was named the Wollon House in The Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (MIHP) because it was owned by J. Thomas Wollon in August 1976, when the inventory was written. Also worth noting is that because the house was painted dark red in the MIHP Inventory’s photo, it obviously was painted its current white color at a later date. The house appears to have always been owned by the same people until 2011 when Derek H. Schwartz and Joseph S. Zuramski,sold each side individually. The interiors of the houses have several original brick walls or fireplaces exposed.

House #522 is now owned by Vivian H. Le and #524 is owned by Melissa McGill, both of whom live elsewhere so these are assumed to be investment properties.

County Records
Built 1900 (in 2011, this formerly single home became two properties).