The "No Trespassing" House on Dekalb Pike
- Yen Ho
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
Every time you drive north or south along Route 202 passing through Centre Square, you would see a scary-looking house standing across from the St. Helena Church with the words "No Trespassing" spray-painted on the front facade. I felt very bad for this property for being left abandoned until the construction team decides to take it down. But before they start, I want to explore more about its history and who owned this home.
The McGlathery Family and Lt. Isaac McGlathery
The McGlathery family originated from Glasgow, Scotland with the name "Montgomery" before the name change. During the time of Sir Richard Wallace, their land was confiscated, and fled to Northern Ireland near Belfast. Later on, an opportunity came for one of the McGlathery brothers (John) who settled in Springfield near Edge Hill. In 1745, John purchased 150 acres of land in Whitpain where he built a house in 1751 around where the Erbs Mill Park currently is.
"The members of the McGlathery family were evidently characterized by intelligence and public spirit, and did their share in the arduous struggle for liberty made by the American people."
- Ambler Gazette, June 5, 1913
His son Isaac (1752-1834) was recruited during the American Revolution as captain of a company of riflemen for 3-4 years. The day after the battle of Brandywine, he was commissioned to summon the Whitpain militia to carry their weapons for upcoming battles. He was then assigned to help brigadier general William Maxwell's brigade (with 1,100 from Maryland and 600 from New Jersey) find the best route to travel to Germantown where the British army were stationed. Since Isaac was familiar with the routes and area, he met his army in Centre Square and showed them the direction to Germantown on Skippack Pike, hoping to reach Chestnut Hill by two in the morning.
He continued to be a guide for the Continental Army throughout the war. He was even assigned to escort British prisoners who were sent from New York to Virginia.
His family began to spread out in Montgomery County to live elsewhere like his son William (1775-1850). William moved to Norristown where he lived for a long time and where his son Mehelm (1803-1897) became secretary of the Montgomery Mutual Fire Insurance company. Somewhere during William and Mehelm's times they had a home on Dekalb Pike across from the St. Helena's Parish. It's possible they had the home before moving to Norristown, or still maintained the house while being in Norristown.
Who Owned the House After the McGlathery's?
In the 1850s, Mehelm sold the property to Jacob P. Reiff (1814-1889). Unfortunately his time at the property didn't last long when he passed away at age 75. Lewis B. Strong was next to take over the property.
Originally from Worcester, his family moved to Norristown where he was educated. His family later moved to Philadelphia where Lewis began a business buying and selling poultry, which became a very successful business. Lewis became the first person to make a success of preserving broilers, squabs and sweet breads by freezing process. He purchased the Reiff property in 1891 where he operated a productive farm. He enjoyed the environment in Whitpain that he and his family used the home as a summer getaway.
Its Current State
According to the PA Historic Resource Survey Form, the house use to have a porch circled around the property before it was torn off some time between the 1990s and 2010s. The home itself was originally Georgian style with its symmetrical facade and dormers.
As of July 05, 2023, the house was sold for $450,000 for commercial purchases. Read more about it HERE!
Bibliography
"1410 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422." Redfin. Accessed August 3, 2025. https://www.redfin.com/PA/Blue-Bell/1410-DeKalb-Pike-19422/home/39119753.
"Bulletin of the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania." Historical Society of Montgomery County 5, no. 3 (1946): 214. https://hsmcpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1946vol5no3.pdf.
Franklin Survey Co. Atlas: Montgomery County 1935 Vol B, Plate 8, 1935.
"Local History Sketch. Interesting Local Matter Collected by 'E.M.' The McGlathery Family--Originally from Scotland, Later Settled in Ireland and Then Came to America--John McGlathery and the Revolution." Ambler Gazette. June 5, 1913. Page 2. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_9522.
"Mehelm McGlathery." Ambler Gazette. December 2, 1897. Page 4. https://digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Awivp-gazett_717
Morris, William E, and Smith & Wistar. Map of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania: from original surveys. [Philadelphia: Smith & Wistar, 1849] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012590207/.
Roberts, Ellwood. Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Containing Genealogical Records of Representative Families, Including Many of the Early Settlers and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens, Volume 1. (New York: T.S. Benham, 1904): 133-135.
Scott, J. D. Montgomery County 1877, Whitpain, Rahn Sta., Grater's Ford, 1877.
Smith, J. L. Montgomery County 1893, Whitpain and Worcester Townships, Bethel Hill, Fairview, Cedar Hill, Washington Square, Broad Axe Left, 1893.
Comments