The land on which this corner building was constructed was bought by Patrick Boyd (1818-1893) in 1855 from Samuel and Martha West of Cecil County. “P. Boyd” appears in this location on the Herrick and Jennings Map of Harford County, 1858. It most likely was Patrick who built this with a grocery store on the ground floor and living space on the second floor. Upon his death in 1893, the property descended to Maggie Boyd, John H. Boyd, and James H. Boyd, who lived at 517 North Adams Street.

In 1918, the three Boyd owners sold the corner property to William F. Wallett, Sr. (1872-1930) and his wife, Florence Lillo Dillon (1868-1939). Both of the Walletts were circus performers while operating this grocery store for about seven years. They worked for Barnum & Bailey's Circus as well as the Downie Brothers Wild Animal Circus that wintered in Havre de Grace on land just west of Juniata Street. The Walletts bought a home at 810 Market Street in 1925 and sold this property in 1925 to Harry B. Atkinson (1893-1960) and Emma Rae Atkinson (who died in 1966), who took over the store and lived on the second floor. The address for the store was #528 and for their home #526 (in the 1950s both were changed to #528). Harry Atkinson served on the City Council during the 1930s and also at that time formed the Harford-Cecil Independent Grocers Association. Not having refrigeration, they had a special room in which they stored meat and perishable items with giant ice blocks, as was the custom. The Atkinsons had two daughters named Joyce Louise Atkinson and Audrey Atkinson. Joyce used to talk with amusement about how chickens ran around the back yard after their heads were cut off. Joyce’s daughter is Deborah Gallant Kern. Richard Williams and Noble Mentzer were delivery boys for the store when they were young.

The Atkinsons ran the store until about 1953, after which William Herman and Elsie Schweers (who lived next door) bought the store. Janet Glassman-Dill remembers that she could sneak in the side door of the store and eat “Ms. Elsie’s” cookies that she stored there. Kerri Schweers Pierre has fond memories of Elsie’s cooking; Kerri also remembers that Elsie had a huge coffee grinder in the rear of the store that had to be worked manually by turning a large wheel.

Elsie and W. Herman Schweers previously ran a seafood market at Pearl and Otsego Streets during the 1940s (now demolished). Their son was the grandfather of William Francis Herman “River Rat” Schweers who lives in Germany but communicates with old friends frequently via social media. River Rat says his grandfather (Herman Nicholas Schweers) used to carve decoys—he signed them “H.N.S.” Many years ago his grandfather had stored burlap bags full of his decoys in a shed at the family-owned grocery store here but someone broke into the shed and stole all of them.

In 1972, Elsie and W. Herman Schweers sold this corner property to J. Thomas Wollon (an architect) and his wife, Carol Lyn, who also bought the 522-524 North Adams Street home from the Schweers. The Wollons held both properties for five years and sold both to Cornelius and Helen Smith in 1977. The Smiths were in the real estate business and lived and ran their business from their historic home at 300 North Union Avenue, which they owned from 1966 until 2006.

This property has changed owners a couple more times, the current owners being Daniel and Mary Ellen Keithley, who also own 517 North Adams Street, and live elsewhere. There no longer is a store on the ground floor.

County Records
Built 1935. 2620-square feet, 2-story house, 3 baths, detached garage, 3520 sq ft lot.