This bedroom with private entrance is part of the suite that welcomes bed-and-breakfast guests. PHOTOS BY REBECCA SELL/THE FREE LANCE-STAR View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

SPOONER HOUSE: THE STORIES IT COULD TELL

Spooner House, completed in 1794, ready for its next chapter

Date published: 5/4/2007

BY RICHARD AMRHINE

Odds are you won't look this good after 213 years. But then you're not the historic Spooner House, whose owners over the years have strived to maintain the integrity of this notable Fredericksburg residence.

It's located at 1300 Caroline St., at the corner of Fauquier. Next door is the Rising Sun Tavern, the city landmark built in 1760 by Charles Washington, George's youngest brother, as his private home. Charles had bought the property from Fielding Lewis (of Kenmore), and later left the house and neighboring empty lot to his son, George Augustine Washington.

After it was bought in 1792 by Lt. Col. Gustavus Wallace, a Revolutionary War officer, the home was turned into a tavern.

George Spooner worked for Wallace as the tavern-keeper and in 1793 married his daughter, Elizabeth. Wallace made the empty lot a wedding gift to his daughter and new son-in-law, who promptly undertook construction of a house there. Long known by the name of its builder, the Spooner House first appeared in city tax records in 1794, identified as a "new house."

So not only did Spooner marry the boss's daughter, he had perhaps the shortest commute of anyone who has worked outside his or her home.

According to information on the home's history compiled from various sources, Spooner was also something of an entrepreneur, as he opened a store on the main level of his new home. The residence was upstairs.

The Fauquier Street door has always been used as the main entrance. But while the building was being used as a store, Spooner added the Caroline Street door as the business entrance.

The current owners, Tom and Martha Crimmins, bought the house in 2000, and continued its operation as the Spooner House Bed & Breakfast. It has one guest suite that sleeps up to four people. Martha Crimmins, whom her husband describes as a gourmet cook, is the proprietress.

They have decided to turn over the Historic District property to new owners, and are building a new house elsewhere in the city. They have listed the Spooner House with Janel O'Malley and Robin Marine of Coldwell Banker Carriage House Realty downtown. The asking price is $824,900. The house has 3,219 square feet of living space, with three bedrooms and 2 baths.

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Date published: 5/4/2007