The Grice-Fearing House, built ca. 1798, is celebrating its 210th birthday during 2008.

The house, which has been renovated and opened as Elizabeth City's newest bed and breakfast last June (the Grice-Fearing House Bed and Breakfast), was standing when George Washington was still alive – he died in 1799.

Evidence of the house's age still remains: the front door and interior staircase leading to the second floor are original, as are many of the old wavy glass panes in the windows. The current owners, Georgene and Vidal Falcon, strived to retain as many of the original elements of the house as they could during their project of restoring and renovating the house, which took over two years.

Individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house is on the corner of South Road and East Fearing Streets. That location was once the edge of the "civilized" part of the City, and beyond that location was then farmland and wilderness.

Much of the history of the house has been taken from information obtained from "On the Shores of the Pasquotank", by Thomas R. Butchko.

According to historical records, Francis Grice purchased the lot from John Hamilton, and construction of the house began soon afterward. Built as a two-story, single-pile frame house, it originally was only one room deep on both stories. Mr. Grice had come to Elizabeth City from Pennsylvania and became a partner with Charles Grice (relationship unknown) in Charles Grice and Company, Elizabeth City's pioneer mercantile concern.

When Francis Grice died ca. 1808, he willed the house to his widow, Mary Tisdale Grice. Later she married Isaiah Fearing, the first of five generation of the Fearing family to live in the house. Fearing was a native of Massachusetts, having come to Elizabeth City in 1814.

In 1840, the Fearings substantially enlarged the house, by adding two rooms to the rear, adding the present roof structure, and erecting the present front two-story porch.

Another wing was added in 1885, to the north of the house. The Falcons remodeled this wing and are using it as their private living suite.

Fred Fearing, who lived next door until his death last October, was born in the house. The Falcons bought the house in 2004 and immediately began the renovation project.

Although one chimney to the south of the house was half torn off about 60 years ago, and its sister chimney leans at a decided angle, the house is still solid, and still survives – 210 years later.

During the months of January through March, the B&B will be offering special birthday rates: stay two nights for a total of $210. Included in a night's stay are arrival snacks and liquid refreshments; a gourmet multi-course breakfast served in the formal dining room with crystal, china, sterling silver, and starched linens; and homemade cookies at bedtime.

For photos of the interior of the house, see the B&B's website, at: www.gricefearinghouse.com

Please contact the Falcons at 333-1792 or at gricefearing@aol.com.