Historians tell us that the colonial founders of San Miguel de Allende were the owners of the silver and gold mines nearby in the state's capital, Guanajuato. San Miguel was built to house the families of these wealthy mine owners. The reason for this separation was the danger of locating them too close to the mines, as there was a fear of the Indian slave workers revolting against the wealthy Spanish owners and their families. Early history also tells us that the buildings constructed around the Jardin and the Parroquia date back at least 500 years. These buildings are interconnected with a system of tunnels leading to nearby churches, where residents could gather seeking refuge during times of trouble.

At Casa Proserpina, a tunnel was uncovered during reconstruction in the late 1970s. This tunnel runs diagonally across the center of the house, where the main living room is now, measuring roughly a meter square and a meter below the floor. During this reconstruction, workers excavating the walls of the living room found two documents rolled up inside pieces of bamboo sealed with paraffin. Dated 1812 and 1814, these handwritten documents purported to be receipts for mules but were actually directions to valuables buried on the property. This was a common practice due to the lack of a secure banking system at that time. These amazing artifacts are now framed and hung on the main house living room wall between two glass and metal doors.

The owners in the late 1970s also constructed a large sunken Jacuzzi in the main master bathroom, which was renovated into two bathrooms in 2018. During the excavation, workers discovered skeletal remains together with a homemade wooden dagger that had blood stains on it. It is assumed that the deceased was in the process of burying some valuables and was dispatched and buried on the site. These bones and the weapon were preserved and given to the current owner upon purchasing the property in 2016, kept in a secret and safe place.

Local memory from the 19th century recalls Casa Proserpina being divided into shops and offices, with the owners living in what is now the back garden patio. In the early 20th century, the property was owned by David Cohen, one of the sons of the founders of Casa Cohen, which was originally the largest hardware store in San Miguel de Allende, located next to Casa Proserpina. Mr. Cohen’s parents were the first Jewish family to settle in San Miguel de Allende as refugees from Syria. David Cohen bought Casa Proserpina to expand his hardware business but decided to sell the property instead. He sold it to Larry and Fran Weiss, retired Americans from Virginia, who made it their home. In 1977, they sold it to Bob Fangue from Louisiana, who renovated it into his home along with two apartment rentals in the front section. Bob lived beautifully at Casa Proserpina for 39 years before selling it to Hadley O'Regan in 2016. Hadley has completely renovated the historic property with great pride and beautiful results.