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400 South Union Avenue, c. 1949

The land on which this large Georgian brick home was built in 1949 had been owned by the Foley family for many decades (and included a white frame house with the address of 428 South Union Avenue, now gone). First owners were Joseph “Patrick” Foley (1855-1895) and his wife, Alice “Bridget” McCabe Foley. Patrick Foley’s father, also named Patrick Foley (1823-1880), had immigrated from Waterford, Ireland, possibly during the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1849.
In a 1907 ownership dispute in court between Martin P. Foley (1867-1932) and E.C. Healey, the whole block was sold at public sale to Martin P. Foley. He was a Justice of the Peace and also Coroner from 1916 to 1932, when he died at The Graw Racetrack of a heart attack. His wife, Ella Louise, had predeceased him. Martin Foley died intestate and in 1932 his seven children sold the previous home and property in 1932 to their brother, Dr. Charles J. Foley, Sr. (1895-1957) and his wife, Mildred Heuisler Foley (1897-1969). He was a WWI veteran, whose name is listed on the Honor Roll in Tydings Park.
Dr. Foley, Sr. built this home for his family in 1949 with a wing for his medical office as well as a double garage with an apartment above it. The entrance to his medical practice was from Girard Street. Dr. Charles Sr. and Mildred had four children, Mildred “Millie” Foley Deering (1926-2007), Dr. Charles J. Foley, Jr. (1927-2006), Joseph M. Foley (1930-1950), and Louise Foley Angert (b. 1935). Upon the death of Dr. Foley, Sr. in 1957, his daughter Louise gave a flowering cherry tree to her mother, Mildred Foley, in memory of him and they planted it in the middle of their front garden. That tree now is one of the most beautiful trees in Havre de Grace and dominates the garden.
A story shared by Mary Wettig gives us a glimpse into the generosity of Dr. Charles Foley, Sr. Mary had to have her tonsils and adenoids removed in 1936. Years later in a conversation with Dr. Charles J. Foley Jr. (who also became an accomplished physician) Mary expressed her gratitude for the kindness his Dad had shown her family when her father went to pay for her surgery. Dr. Foley Sr. had told Mary’s Dad that there was no charge because he did “T&A surgeries for free during the month of June,” when her surgery took place. Dr. Foley Jr. smiled a big grin but said nothing so Mary asked him what was so funny. He responded, “My Dad didn’t have any free months. He occasionally told people that if he knew they were financially strapped.” Mary said she was the youngest of six children and her family was struggling—it meant a great deal to her and still does to this day.
In 1953, Dr. Charles Foley, Sr. purchased the Bayou Hotel property on Commerce Street from the Franciscan Sisters and converted that building into apartments, called Bayou Villa Apartments. He died, however, only four years later. After several years, his heirs donated about seven acres of waterfront land and the historic Bayou Hotel property (including the building that now houses the Decoy Museum) to the City of Havre de Grace.
In 1965, Dr. Charles J. Foley, Jr., (1927-2006) and his wife, Neta Galinski Foley (b. 1927), bought this property from Charles’s mother and sisters, Mildred Heuisler Foley; Mildred H.F. Deering and her husband L. Patrick Deering; and Katherine “Louise” Foley (who later married Donald F. Angert, 1929-2019). This extensive property is now owned by the Trustees of the Neta G. Foley Revocable Trust.
This property received an award from the Havre de Grace Historic Preservation Commission in 2012.
County Records
Built 1949. 6783 sq ft, 2 stories with basement, 5+ baths, 2 attached garages, 48,000 sq ft lot.
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