The History of Springwell - Part 1

Our Springwell home and its land has a colorful and historic story to tell. Thanks to our resident historian – Frank Simmonds…we can share this story. He has diligently preserved stories, photographs and articles detailing the story of the home we love. Over the next month or so we will share this story on Facebook and our blog. Please feel free to comment and share with us any memories or stories you may have as well of this historic Mt. Washington area.

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The Early Years

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‍Before the Springwell Senior Living there was The Wesley Home…and before The Wesley Home… this land was home to the Prestwolde Mansion. The mansion, located where the Springwell Main Hall now stands, was built by Mr. E.B. Bruce who owned a Baltimore Company noted for distilled liquor and imported wines...in those days he was a well known “whisky dealer”.

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In 1886 Mr. Bruce married Elizabeth Coale, and they set up housekeeping in a Baltimore row house. They wanted a larger house with more property and purchased 15 acres in Mt. Washington, on which he had a magnificent home built and named it The Prestwolde Mansion. On the property there were two greenhouses and a carriage house in which he kept his horses and carriages. That carriage house still stands today on the grounds of Springwell. Mr. Bruce died in 1900. His wife and children remained on the property and in 1928, the Bruce family sold The Prestwolde Mansion to the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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Check back next week for the next chapter of history!