1856 “Strafford,” Homestead Road; PRR Strafford station (formerly called Eagle); 1880 Joseph B. McCall, Jr. gate house on Gulph Road; Abraham Lincoln; 1870’s George H. Borst house, 125 Bloomingdale Ave.; 1789 E. Dorothy Finley house, 113 W. Beechtree Lane, Revolutionary War veteran John Pugh

02_image01Last week’s column described two of the old houses to be visited in tomorrow’s pilgrimage of the Radnor Historical Society, details of which are given in the news columns of today’s, “Suburban.” This column continues with pictures of the other four houses.

This house on Homestead road, Strafford, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. E. Brooke Matlack, was built in 1856 by the then well-known White family of Philadelphia. A year later it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. John Langdon Wentworth, who named it “Strafford.” Later the Pennsylvania Railroad gave the name to the station, which had formerly been called “Eagle,” as was the entire settlement that once centered around the Spread Eagle Inn and the Old Eagle School. Saturday’s visitors will have the pleasure of meeting as special guest of honor Mrs. Suffren, the former Martha Wentworth, born in this house 97 years ago, who still lives on Homestead road.

02_image02When it was built in about 1880, the home of Mrs. Joseph B. McCall, Jr., on Gulph Creek road, Radnor, was the gate house of the old Mott homestead which burned down a few years ago. Among Mrs. McCall’s treasured possessions, which will be shown tomorrow, are portraits of Rembrandt Peale and his wife, done by the former; a doll house, dating back to 1868, belonging to Mrs. McCall’s aunt, Miss Louise Gibbons Davis, and a certificate concerning one of her ancestors, George Quincy White, assistant quartermaster (with rank of captain) who served during the Civil War. This certificate bears the signature of “Abraham Lincoln.” (The full name is much more uncommon than the “Abe Lincoln” signature.)

02_image03This house, at 125 Bloomingdale avenue, was built in the 1870’s as part of Wayne’s earliest residential development. Because of its interest as a perfect example of true Victorian architecture, it has been selected for tomorrow’s tour of historic homes. Although the rear of the house has had various additions and alterations, the front remains as it was when it was built. Mrs. Borst has endeavored to retain the Victorian feeling by keeping the furnishings of her music room strictly in that period, and the rest of the house in the 18th century era. Saturday’s visitors will see a rare collection of antique furniture, exquisite china, glass, pewter and silver.

02_image04The headquarters of the Radnor Historical Society is housed in the Colonial kitchen, with its old Dutch oven, of the home of Miss E. Dorothy Finley, on Beechtree lane. Dating back to 1789, this home was originally a tenant house on the large farm of a Revolutionary veteran, “Squire” John Pugh, whose own house still stands on the corner of Lancaster pike and Farm road. Members of the Historical Society and guests are urged to examine at leisure everything that is on exhibition in the headquarters part of the Finley home. The picture shown above was taken from northwest of the house, before trees and shrubs had grown to their present size. The entrance to the headquarters is at the southeast corner of the house.