The History of Riddle Village
Everyone who enters Riddle Village experiences the friendly atmosphere, elegant décor, and vibrant community lifestyle that have been what sets us apart for over 25 years. Our story is built upon the vision and hard work of Samuel D. Riddle and Donald L. Laughlin, and we continue to add to our history everyday with all who are apart of our community.
Sam D. Riddle
Riddle Village’s grounds are rooted deep in history and tied to the famous Delaware County native, Samuel D. Riddle. Mr. Riddle owned and operated his family’s woolen mill business started by his father, however, he is more commonly known for being a sportsman and the breeder of competitive racehorses. Of the many horses he owned, the most famous were Man O’War and War Admiral. Man O’War has been titled “Horse of the Century” and War Admiral (Man O’War’s son) is well known for being a Triple Crown Winner in 1937.
Upon Mr. Riddle’s death in January of 1951, he specified in his will that his estate be used to provide a hospital for the community of Media. With $2.5 million and 72 acres of land along Baltimore Pike, provided by Mr. Riddle, a charter for the hospital was granted on November 29, 1956. Riddle Hospital opened its doors on February of 1963, on 34 acres of the land.
It was thought appropriate that the balance for the land be used at a future date in a manner related to the health and well-being of the community. Riddle Village was the project to fulfill that goal.
Donald L. Laughlin, President of Riddle Hospital for 37 years, looked at the land laying fallow next to the hospital and had a vision. He saw the future of a modern retirement community, providing three levels of care to seniors in a sophisticated environment. He worked tirelessly for more than a decade to make his vision a reality. Without his perseverance, Riddle Village would not be what it is today.
His goal was to open a community that offered quality service at all levels of care, with a stimulating and healthy environment for every resident. Mr. Laughlin wanted Riddle Village to offer comfort, security and a friendly family atmosphere. He insisted the décor be elegant and tasteful, featuring a spacious lobby, large apartments, relaxed dining rooms, indoor parking and attached buildings to eliminate encounters with unpredictable weather of the four seasons. Riddle Village welcomed its first residents in October of 1993.
After his retirement on December 31, 2000, Mr. Laughlin and his wife moved to Riddle Village to spend their retirement years in the community he always knew he would eventually call home.
Since opening over 25 years ago, Riddle Village has expanded to include a total of five Independent Living residential buildings. Monticello House has also been renovated since 1993 to include additional Skilled Nursing accommodations and Personal Care apartments. We have also added additional restaurant options and several resident amenities have been updated, including the courtyard and fitness center.
We continuously evaluate areas of our community to make sure the place our residents call home remains up-to-date and meets all of their needs. Recent projects included a redesign of the skilled nursing stations, and new lighting, flooring, paint, and furnishings to the residential hallways. Currently, we are working on completely redesigning the Thoroughbred Lounge, that will soon feature a new restaurant option, larger bar, and exciting new menu.
We are proud that the vision Mr. Riddle and Mr. Laughlin always had for our community is still the reality of Riddle Village today. Over the years, we have welcomed thousands of residents into our home. We have received honors for our skilled nursing care, and are considered one of the best Lifecare communities in the greater Philadelphia area.
(Riddle Village is a separate entity from the hospital. It is an independent, not-for-profit retirement Lifecare community.)
Testimonials
It has taken a lot of the stress off my family members because they don’t have to worry. It means security. I’ve experienced Independent Living and Monticello, and I’ve made friends in both!
The population of our elders are living longer, and families are not always able to care for their loved ones on their own. One of the benefits of having Personal Care at Riddle Village is the 24-hour supervised setting that gives a structured environment. We provide emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and social support. To sum it all up: we offer a loving, safe environment allowing our residents to live life to the fullest while providing assistance needed to maintain their dignity.
I love the diversity. These people are smart and from every field and profession. It’s just wonderful the mix of people, and they’re all great and willing to help each other. You always see people reaching out.