14246 River Road
The land on which Tacrea stands was part of a land grant from the King of England to William Harris. The original house, built circa 1740 of logs, consisted of two rooms and two half rooms. In 1764 Mr. Richard Kirby moved the house on skids from a point west where it was used as a house of mercantile. Mr. Kirby then built another house in front of the log home, consisting of a great room and two smaller rooms on the east side.
During this time the house was often used as a stagecoach stop. Prior to the Revolutionary War the house was known as the Cedars, and later the Elmo House.
In 1883 the Rev. Patrick Henry Fontaine, grandson of Patrick Henry, purchased the property. Six generations of that family occupied the house until 1983 when it was purchased by Oscar B. Tate. Now known as Tacrea (Ta from Tate and Crea from Creath), it is a bed and breakfast.
In 1913 Rev. William Creath raised the roof of the front portion to accommodate a second floor, joined the two houses with a foyer, and added the wrap-around porch and front entrance hall. The house has original woodwork and two corner fireplaces. The parlor has the same chair molding and mantle with sunburst found in Carter's Tavern.
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