This house is referenced by Marion Morton in her 1978 “Historical Report on the Southern Terminal of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal at Havre de Grace,” for the Susquehanna Museum of the Lockhouse when she stated:
“Most of the ten or so large brick houses in Havre de Grace were built around the time of the 1840 boom. These late Federal and early Greek Revival dwellings are scattered through the town, four of them not far from the Canal. None is a more eloquent statement of its intention than the two-and-a-half story brick house near the corner of Juniata and Erie Streets, less than two blocks from the lock house. The house with a vacant lot next to it has an arched entry on the front wall to make access convenient to the long rear wing. Since no house was built next to it, the entrance arch stands without purpose.”

Mathias Riffle built this house in 1843, just after the outlet lock on the canal opened. However, he was indebted to John and Charles McColgan of Baltimore for the sum of $528.89 to be paid within two years and he secured that promissory note with this property. It appears that he repaid the debt as agreed because he continued to own this building 15 years later when his son and only heir, Thomas Riffle, sold it to John Mitchell, Sr. after Mathias Riffle died.

Because of its unusual appearance and its location on the main road into Havre de Grace, this is one of the buildings most noticed and remarked upon by visitors. Several features make the house unique to the area. The most unusual feature is the brick archway or sally port in the south side of the west wall. The archway would have provided access to the rear or east of the house if another structure had been built next to this house. This, obviously, never happened.

John Mitchell, Sr. who owned this in 1858, is the same John Mitchell, Sr., to whom the court awarded the property of Mount Felix, on the outskirts of town, in a land dispute in 1850. John Mitchell, Sr., deeded this house, along with other property, to his daughter, Mary E. Mitchell in 1888, before he died. A court in Baltimore, however, in 1908 appointed E. Madison Mitchell of Baltimore to a guardianship of Mary Mitchell and Madison sold this house to Louis H. Klair.

E. Madison Mitchell was in the funeral business in downtown Baltimore that became the “E. Madison Mitchell Funeral Home” on Fayette Street, in which R. Madison Mitchell (the famous decoy carver) worked part-time as an apprentice in 1918 while attending Baltimore Business College. R. Madison Mitchell later moved to Mount Felix with his parents, Robert and Elsie Mitchell, in 1920.

Louis H. Klair (1870-1952) and his wife, Cora Werner Klair, bought this property in 1908 and Klair family members still own it more than a century later. Louis and Cora were the well-known owners of Klair’s Grocery Store at the northwest corner of Ontario and Juniata Streets in the 1940s and 1950s. And Louis had served on the City Council in the 1920s. In 1940, Louis and Cora owned this home and lived here with their daughter, Dorothy Regina Spencer and her husband Amos Hughes Spencer (1894-1983), whose father owned Silver Spencer & Company. Louis and Cora also had other children, including William F. Klair.

In 1952 Louis and Cora Klair deeded the home to George Werner Klair (1901-1991) and Lillie M. Klair, whom he married in 1925. Neighbors have said the building was converted to apartments by 1963. In 1966, George and Lillie deeded this to George Werner Klair and George Richard “Dick” Klair (their son) as the Trustees of the Revocable Trust of Lillie M. Klair (who died in 1985). This property is still owned by that Trust with Dick Klair as the sole trustee; he has children and grandchildren who live in Havre de Grace.

This house received an award from the Havre de Grace Historic Preservation Commission in 2019. The Commission found that its historic character has been maintained, it had its original exterior material and distinctive features preserved (doors, windows, porch posts, balusters, brackets) and the property is attractive and well-maintained. 

County Records
Built 1830. 1704 sq ft, 2 stories with basement, 3 baths, brick, 13,800 sq ft lot.