Perched above Darby Creek's west bank and hidden in Scenic Hill's woods, Hey Mansion is a lovely reminder of early Springfield. Built in 1780 by the Levis family which owned a mill on Darby Creek, the house and mill were sold in 1845 to Moses Hey. Hey soon substantially altered his new home to a three story, stucco over stone residence, and he also built two other mills. Interesting features of this fine, historic home are three cellars, an original ballroom on the first floor, six-over-six pane windows on the second floor, and the third floor's three-over-three pane windows. During the mid- and late-1800's this area of Springfield was known as Heyville and was a busy manufacturing center with the Keystone Woollen Works. Moses Hey also built two other mills on Darby Creek about 1850. A few years later a one-room schoolhouse, Eastern School, was erected nearby for the mill-workers' children. Hey retired, but before the century's end, the woollen business would rapidly decline and by the 1920's, the mills, though standing, were silent and today only remnants of the mills' foundations exist of an early industrial age in Springfield.

The Samuel Levis House or "Checkerboard" House is one of the county's oldest and best preserved historical homes. Levis came to Springfield in the 1680's - having a land grant of 1,000 acres - and soon built his home and developed a complete colonial plantation. The Levis Home remained in the family until 1925, passing through eight generations of Levises. It is believed that the hearth in the cellar of the house was one of William Penn's favorite places to relax when he visited his good friend Samuel Levis. The bricks used created a checkerboard effect using the Flemish bond design, a popular pattern found in many historic houses in Philadelphia. The original random width flooring and the uneven winding stairs with the carved finial on the newel post remain undisturbed. Several important features in the original basement kitchen include the great wooden bolt on the door, the walkin fireplace and the great root vaults. There was once a smokehouse in the attic. Most of the woodwork and floors are original in this Georgian style house of true museum quality. The original kitchen is in the basement where there are huge storage cellars and a tunnel said to be used by the Underground Railroad. The Carriage house dates to the earliest years and remnants of other farm buildings exist. In the first quarter of the 20th century it was home to The Addingham Country Club.

One of the few remaining houses of the large Lownes plantation, it belonged to Jane Lownes's son after being constructed in the early 1700's by professional stone mason Daniel Yarnall. The house was built in four stages, the first was a one-over-one structure. The downstairs floor has the original random width boards, as well as the original walk-in fireplace. A beehive oven at the back of the fireplace was bricked in when the house was restored this century. A winding stairway to the second floor, was situated where the door is now, was removed when the house was restored. George Lownes (1708-1792), a blacksmith, built his forge (now cemented over) in the cellar during the second building stage. The home remained part of Lownes property until 1920 when the land was divided into streets and lots. The house stood vacant and became a near ruin; thick stone walls remained and windows were mere holes in the stonework. The roof had caved in and only rafters remained in the second floor. In 1929, Mrs. Emilie Pollard, a descendant of John Sharpless and a member of the Garrett family purchased the ruin. She hired an historical architect and the house was restored to its original condition with improvements, including a new section with kitchen, bathroom and study, as well as electricity, running water and central heat. A new frame addition was erected in 1985 and more enhancements made in the 1990's.

Built in 1832 by George Bolton Lownes, the Blue Church is Springfield's oldest church building while Springfield Friends Meeting is the oldest congregation. Lownes set apart two acres of his farmland and had the church constructed of blue limestone - a stone which turns decidedly blue when wet - and paid for the building himself. Lownes died two years after the church was built and was buried in the front yard of the church. Old carriage sheds and the reversible pews are interesting features of the church. The original stone has been covered with a concrete-plaster and three additions have been made. On the opposite side of the porch, a tomb bears the name of a favorite cousin of the founder. These tombs together, before they were lowered to ground level, served for many decades as rustic seats for the congregation waiting for services to begin. Although Lownes declared that only those with fundamentalist doctrines could preach there, anyone could be buried free in the churchyard. One corner of the churchyard marks the resting place of many early settlers.

This two and one-half story stone house was built 1740-46 on an original Penn land grant by the youngest son of David Ogden who came with Penn on the 'Welcome.' It retains many of the original 'Quaker' details; some windows have the original spoon glass and one has the original pegged frame; rafters are pegged and marked with Roman numerals. Seven fireplaces were added through the years. There is smoke room on third floor, and closets painted red to prevent evil spirits. The old log kitchen has cobblestone floor. A Quaker fireplace in dining room has curved doors held by wrought iron hinges and latches. Panelling in-house is handcarved, joined by wooden screws and butterfly wedges, and corner cupboard has butterfly shelves. The original complex included two spring houses, barn and log kitchen. The house was reputedly part of the Underground Railway. The Ogdens owned it until the 1890's but during the 1860-1870 period rented it to Edward Parrish, first president of Swarthmore College. The trees and shrubs were reputedly from the famous botanist John Bartram and extant plantings include English boxwood, Irish yew, magnolia, sycamores, and copper beech.

In the 1830's a "subscription school" was built on this site. It was demolished about 1855 and the land sold to the Springfield School District for one dollar. In 1856 the Western School was built and a newspaper reporter, after seeing the new school commented, "Our country school houses are beginning to look more like civilization compared to the eight by ten fabrics of a few years ago." It was used as a school until 1911 when it officially closed. It fell into disrepair, but in 1915 Professor Edward Cheyney bought it and restored it. In December 1926, the old school caught fire and in the rebuilding process it was extensively remodeled. Still a private home, one can see the date stone from the road, which reads "Westren [sic] School 1856." Until 1993, a magnificent 300-year-old William Penn Oak Tree graced the front yard of this house.

The information included in this publication was derived from many sources, including History of Delaware County by Henry G. Ashmead (1884); Springfield Township, 1686-1976, edited by George Belk; Historical Trees of Springfield, published by the Garden Club of Springfield (1990); Delaware County Planning Department reports on historic sites; files of the Springfield Historical Society; owners of historic properties; and other interested persons.