In an 1870 deed of sale, the property description interestingly includes a reference to “Happy Alley” rather than “Freedom Alley.” In that deed Joseph M. Simmons (1824-1900) and his wife Caroline sold a part of this property with improvements “except the front fence” to Stephen N. Rouse. Joseph, a coal merchant, advertised in 1864 that he “keeps constantly on hand all kinds of white and red ash coal.” He also owned the Poe’s Point Fishery on the river. Another part of the property was sold by John N. Spencer and family in 1908 to Stephen N. Rouse. This building is shown on the 1885 Sanborn Insurance Map.

Upon the death of Stephen Rouse a dispute concerning ownership was resolved by the court-appointed Trustee who sold the property in 1931 to Walter H. Rouse. One year later, however, a trustee had to sell the property and the highest bidders were John H. and Ella Barnes. In 1934, however, after John died, the widowed Ella Barnes sold this property to Elghie M. Pitcock (1885-1972) and John H. Pitcock (1878-1960). The brothers at the time were operating the nearby Pitcock Brothers Hardware Store at 410 North Union Avenue. This most likely was an investment property for them.

Elghie and Lela B. Pitcock’s daughter, also named Lela, had married Ralph A. Mentzer and in 1967 Elghie and Lela sold this property to Ralph and Lela Mentzer. They continued to own this building until 1990 when Lela P. Mentzer (who was widowed in 1983) sold it to Dolores E. Willis. She had owned the property for just two years when she sold it to AMC Properties, Inc., of which William H. Klunk was President. In 1992, Mary H. Klunk had a studio in this apartment building called Mary’s Art Studio at Periwinkle Place. Periwinkle blue and white balloon curtains reflected the name of the working artist’s studio, where paintings were displayed and sold and drawing classes were held year round. Mary Klunk had a 30-year career as an artist, sometimes as an art therapist and sometimes she ran art programs in prisons. While in Havre de Grace Mary served as Artist in Residence at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Perry Point.

In 1996, AMC Properties, Inc. sold this apartment building to JoAnn M. Roesler and E. Stuart Bailey, who were business partners on other properties in Havre de Grace. Maintenance of this building deteriorated noticeably in the following years and in 2019 the owners sold the building to BEHB Rentals, LLC, owned by local resident Aeron Alberti.

County Records
Built 1900. 2484 sq ft, apartments, 2.5 stories with basement, 4 baths, 4,500 sq ft lot.