(Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, Georgia Pelfre learns about the history of the Fearing House from Washington County Historical Society President Bill Reynolds on Monday morning.

The Washington County Historical Society has added a new outdoor pavilion at the historic Henry Fearing House, expanding its capacity for tours, educational programs and community gatherings.

The structure was purchased through an inheritance grant from the Marietta Community Foundation, part of an endowment left by a donor who wished to support local historical projects.

“We were looking at the amount of money we received and said, ‘Let’s do something that makes an impact,'” said Historical Society Board President Bill Reynolds. “If we have 30 people come as a tour, we can divide them into groups and be out here before they go in the house. It also gives the community a place to hold events.”

The pavilion will eventually feature picnic tables, landscaping, lighting and possibly ceiling fans. The society hopes the space will be useful for outdoor classrooms and virtual presentations for visitors with mobility challenges.

The Henry Fearing House, built in 1847, interprets life in a middle-class home of the 1860s. Furnishings, decor and paint colors have been updated to reflect the period, and exhibit subjects include the Knox Boat Guard, Gen. Benjamin Fearing and Fort Harmar’s Paul Fearing, an early Ohio political leader.

(Photo provided) CJ Smith and Bill Reynolds dance on the newly installed outdoor pavilion at the Fearing House on Monday morning.

“If Ben Fearing or Henry Fearing walked through the front door, they’d say, ‘Wow, nothing’s changed,'” said Reynolds.

The Historical Society, which has about 225 members, also operates The Anchorage — undergoing stage three renovations — and an archive at the former Washington County Children’s Home, which, according to Reynolds, houses one of the largest collections of genealogical records in the area, including the earliest Northwest Territory court documents.

Both The Anchorage and the Fearing House are known locally for unexplained occurrences. Reynolds said security cameras at the Fearing House have captured unusual events, including a large antique headboard that appeared to move on its own overnight.

“One night, the headboard was standing upright, and later the cameras showed it laying flat on the bed,” another board member, Jack Harris, said.

According to Harris and Reynolds, other oddities reported include objects such as handkerchiefs appearing to float and strange lights outside the building resembling “a red ball of fire” moving silently down the street.

(Photo by Gwen Sour) A new pavilion was installed at the Fearing House on Monday morning.

Whether visitors come for history or the possibility of a ghost sighting, the Historical Society hopes the new pavilion will make the site even more inviting.

“We’re trying really hard to become a little more visible and more active,” Reynolds said. “This pavilion is just one more way we can invite the community in and share the history of Washington County.”

The Fearing House is open Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or whenever the open sign is displayed. Tours can be arranged by calling 740-373-1788 or 740-516-2258.