A large building on the south side of Franklin Street existed here during the latter half of the nineteenth century. It was The Riverview Hotel, with a swimming pool behind it on Lodge Lane, and opened by Lewis K. Herbst. He appears to have housed some U.S. troops here during the Civil War—Herbst is recorded as having petitioned the Committee on War Claims for compensation for damages sustained by the occupation of his property by United States troops. [Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, Second Session of the 49th Congress, December 6, 1886.] The building is shown on the 1899 Sanborn Insurance Map.

Lewis Herbst owned several parcels of land in the city and was a member in the 1880s of the Greenback Club, a political club that met in his Riverview Hotel. In 1879, however, the hotel was taken over by Charles J. Kelly. That ownership, however, was short lived because in 1879, Kelly while driving up the towpath of the Susquehanna and Tide Water Canal was thrown from his buggy, fell through the ice, and was drowned. [Havre de Grace Republican, November 26, 1880.].

By 1881, however, Amos Spencer (1816-1899) and his wife Rose Ann owned and lived in the building and “with affection” deeded it to their son, Amos DeRoseville Spencer, with the condition that “said Amos Spencer reserving the right of using the dwelling he now occupies as long as he wants it.” In 1883 it is known that this large ground floor was the location of The Mammoth Store, a home furnishings business run by Amos Spencer who sold the business to J. Swann Everist (1869-1920) in February 1893. Four years later, however, Everist had to sign the business over to his creditors, of which Spencer was the largest. Advertisements for the Mammoth Store business once more ran in newspapers in 1897 and 1898. While still owned by the Spencer son, in 1898 Ira Wells opened a new hotel here and called it the River View House. However, by the following year Ira had purchased the Cecil Hotel in North East and left town. Harry C. Jones took over River View House in 1899 but Amos Spencer as landlord brought suit against him and his possessions were sold at public sale. In 1902, the building suffered a serious fire and was burned down.

Amos DeRoseville Spencer rebuilt the property in 1904 as it exists today and called it the Spencer Building. That same year part of the property was rented from the Spencers by Richard H. Leithiser (1877-1963) and Joseph Simson who opened a men’s apparel store on the ground floor of one section. In 1912, Leithiser bought Simson’s interest and became the sole owner of the apparel store. By 1918, the Spencers had moved to Philadelphia and they sold the whole building to Richard and Rebecca Leithiser. He enlarged his floor area and created a “modern” storefront in 1938.

By 1940 the business became Richard H. Leithiser & Son, the son being Eldon F. Leithiser (1904-1990) born to Richard and Rebecca. They expanded the store to five times its original size and became an exclusive menswear store, which by the 1950s was Harford County’s largest apparel store for men and run by Eldon Leithiser. They sold men’s clothing, Weyenberg shoes and boots, Hush Puppy and Buster Brown shoes, Stetson hats, Curtis and Packard shoes, Pioneer belts, and accessories. The store area closest to Lodge Lane was their shoe department, where Fred Fox was in charge. Many people remember that Fred used an x-ray machine (a fluoroscope) to check if shoes fit correctly. Judy Mitchell remembers going there with her older brother to get fitted for a suit and being in awe of the “beautiful carved furniture and mirrors” in the store.

In 1963 Eldon and his wife Dorothy Leithiser became the owners of the building. Because Eldon Leithiser was also scoutmaster of Havre de Grace Troop 337 he also carried cub scout and boy scout uniforms in the store. Scoutmaster E.F. Leithiser advertised “famous superheterodyne radio receivers complete with all tubes, batteries and loudspeaker” in 1977. Leithiser’s store was in business for more than 50 years and Eldon Leithiser was named a Harford County Living Treasure.

In 1969, after the death of Richard Leithiser, Eldon and Dorothy sold the whole building to Francis and Katherine Bortz, who owned Shocket’s on St. John Street and they moved their store over here to #450. The first floor of this long building had four distinct storefronts--#450, 452, 454, and 456 (no doubt with apartments on the upper floors).

In 1983 there was an antiques store located in #450. It was Aquila’s Antiques, owned by Dorothy Harkins who sold country furniture, accessories and quilts. Dorothy had been a school teacher for 19 years and previously operated an antiques store in Churchville. She died in 2005 at the age of 91, having also been named a Harford County Living Treasure in 2001. From 1985 through 1988, the antique store was called End of the Lane Antiques and owned by Jacqueline Walker; in 1990 it was Fine Things. Several other stores in this location have been Billers Bicycle Shop, the Pink Hanger, and lately it is BeachBee Yoga.

John Demitrus Franko lived above #452 when he was inducted as a Private into the Army on January 30, 1918. He was born in Parakela, Greece, in September 1889 and was living at this address in 1918. He served in the 154th Depot Brigade, then Company C 304th Engineers before being sent to the Cement Mills Company of the US Army in September 1918. He was overseas from April 1918 until May 1919. He was honorably discharged on May 13, 1919. He is listed on the Roll of Honor at Tydings Park.

From 1984 to 1992, the Rusty Rabbitt Decoy Shop was on the ground floor of #452 Franklin Street, owned by Nelson Mengle who bought, sold, and traded decoys. It later became Baltimore Sports and in November 2015 it became Aleo & Company. After being vacant for several months, this became the office of Farmers Insurance D. Gamble Agency. In the fall of 2021, it is the location of “Affairs Extraordinaire by Marta” with Marta Markline Kastner.

In 1993 the store at #454 was the home of The Lewis Expedition, later it was Colony 7 Antiques, and in 2002 for several years it was George’s Place Antiques, owned by George Traband. After that this was the home of Salon Marielle in 2007, run by Mary Anne Madeiros. Then, after another period as Simplicity, an antiques and gifts store, this became transformed into The Blue Heron, with Chesapeake Bay and nautical gift items, run by Stephen Formwalt. It retains the Leithiser name laid in mosaics on the floor at the entrance door (under the mat). In summer 2019, The Blue Heron was taken over by a mother-daughter team, Lisa and Megan Moore.

In 1977, Fritz Sterback bought the building and in #456 Fritz manufactured and sold brass beds. Stan Rodia remembers buying beds from him and selling them in southern Maryland. Two years later, Fritz moved his manufacturing to 123 Market Street and rented out the stores. He later sold this building to the B.F. Partnership in 1990. In 1993, this store was the home of Top of the Bay, run by Nelson Mengel and Rosemarie Johnson. They bought and traded old decoys, baseball cards, and other items through 1995. In 2007, The Dancing Heart opened here with a selection of gifts, and in 2011 it was the home of Simplicity Antique and Gift Boutique. Now this is the western side of The Blue Heron store.

This entire building housing these storefronts is now owned by Vandelay Properties, LLC.

County Records
Built 1920. 6714 sq ft, 4500 sq ft lot.