THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 27, 1995 TAG: 9502270048
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Authorities are investigating a Sunday morning fire that destroyed two buildings dating to the Civil War era - a barn and quarters for black servants.
No injuries were reported, officials said. The two structures were vacant and dilapidated.
Both buildings - about three or four car lengths from the main house, which itself was built in 1690 - were part of a 6-acre parcel in the 2800 block of East Point Drive, in the Green Meadow Point area. The house is the former residence of Del H.W. Grady Speers Sr., who represented what was then Norfolk County from 1921 to 1928.
Greg Orfield, an investigator with the fire marshal's office, described the incident as suspicious.
A neighborhood boy told authorities he saw two youths darting from the area as the fire erupted, said George Speers, the delegate's grandson, who was in the house with his mother when the fire broke out.
Shortly before noon, a neighbor saw smoke and called officials, Orfield said. Firefighters extinguished the fire in about an hour, he said.
Del. Speers died in 1975, but the property remained in his family until relatives sold it recently to a local developer. Maintaining the land had grown increasingly difficult, George Speers said. The family plans to move out on Friday.
KEYWORDS: FIRE by CNB