Requiem for the Bond House

History Spotlight by Doug Humes

Photos courtesy of Marple Historical Society

A summer thunderstorm in June of 2019 has done what 300+ years of history have been unable to do: demolish Jonathan Worrell’s simple stone house on Palmers Mill Road.

In June, a tree fell on the Bond House in Broomall

The old house has been a witness to local history since the early 1700’s. Up until last month, it sat perched on the edge of the 11th fairway of the Paxon Hollow Golf Course, enjoying its retirement, until the storm brought down a tree limb which has crashed through and destroyed the roof and compromised one of stone walls. The removal of the downed branch led to the collapse of one wall, and ultimately the Township’s decision to demolish the house.

History of the Bond House

The house was built on the Jonathan Worrell farm, and is thought to be the first home of one of the earliest settlers in Marple township. When Worrell prospered, he built a larger home nearby, and it is believed that the small house then became a tenant house for a succession of farm laborers who helped Worrell with his farm, and then moved on to their own land when they were able. One of those tenant farmers, Amos Bond, has had his name attached to the house. Bond, like Worrell, was a member of an early family of Quaker farmers who first inhabited Marple Township.

Sketch of the Bond House

The one-story stone home had a basement, and at one time had two rooms, each with a corner fireplace, that provided heat to the people who lived there. When the golf course was built, the house was left intact and used for a time as a caddy house. It had been vacant for years, but has been maintained as part of the golf course property.

George Washington never slept there, but a succession of Marple township residents did for more than 200 years. It is a loss to the community, and we continue to face the question – how do we continue to preserve what remains of our historic homes, particularly those that retain their historic value but otherwise may not have a use in today's culture?

Delaware County did a historic resource survey of Marple in 1994, and listed 89 historic properties and structures that contributed to Marple’s history, 10 of which had already been demolished in the last 40 years. Approximately 10 others have been demolished since that time. Will any remain by 2050? That’s a question that we as a community decide, by telling our elected leaders what we value.

For more information on the history of Marple, visit the Marple Historical Society website and Facebook page, and join the society to keep up to date on coming events: www.MarpleHistoricalSociety.org.