Site Selection/Architectural Features - Government Island
N 38° 26.964 W 077° 22.872
18S E 292205 N 4258364
Two signs on the boardwalk to Government Island tell of how and why a quarry on the island was chosen for the building of the nation's capital and other historical uses for the sandstone.
Waymark Code: WMAXQ1
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 03/08/2011
Views: 4
In the 1790s to the early 1800s. a quarry on
Government Island
in Stafford, Virginia, supplied the sandstone that helped build the nation's capital including the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Along the boardwalk that accesses Government Island, there is an observation deck with two historical signs that detail how and why this quarry was selected for construction of the country's first capital city and other historical uses for the freestone that was quarried here.
The inscription of the sign on the right side reads:
Site SelectionIn 1791, President George Washington (who was raised in Stafford County 10 miles south of this site at Ferry Farm) appointed three Commissioners to oversee construction of the new federal capital city (later named Washington, D.C.). The Commissioners sent Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant to survey the lands along the Potomac River for adequate deposits of freestone.
L'Enfant selected Brent's Island for its bountiful supply of good-quality freestone, proximity to the capital city, and accessibility for water-transit.
On December 2, 1791, L'Enfant purchased the quarry for the federal government. Thereafter, the site was known as The Public Quarry. Today, the site is commonly known as Government Island.
The Commissioners also contracted with other nearby, private quarry owners to supply additional building material. The use of these quarries, in addition to Government Island, helped to further establish quarrying as an important industry in Stafford County.
In 1791, L'Enfant wrote to his assistant, stating, "...repair immediately to Acquia Creek to see the qurries [sic] there belonging to the public - to have barracks erected upon theron for twenty men on each of these quarries, on the island purchased from Mr. George Brent...."
It was originally called Brent's Island because George Brent, nephew of Giles Brent who established the first English settlement on Aquia Creek in the mid 1600s, was the original owner of this spit of land.
The sign on the left reads:
Architectural FeaturesAquia stone was easy to carve, which made it a natural choice for intricate decorative details and trim elements around windows and doors. from the late 1600s through the 1700s, Aquia sandstone was commonly used for gravestones, boundary markers, fireplace mantels, millstones and bridges. This stone was used throughout Virginia and the mid-Atlantic colonies. During the Federal Period, intricate carving of Aquia Stone created striking features at the White House and U.S. Capitol.
Approximately two miles northwest of this site stands Aquia Episcopal Church (1751-1757), which has freestone architectural components, including keystones, quoins, and pediments. Aquia sandstone was used in other prominent Virginia buildings, such as Kenmore in Fredericksburg (ca. 1772), Gunston Hallat Mason Neck (1755-1760), and Christ Church in Alexandria (1767-1773).
The boardwalk continues to a natural surface trail that loops around Government Island where remnants of the quarry and foundations of the workers' living quarters still remain. It is open daily to the public. There is no admission. Access and parking can be found at 191 Coal Landing Rd in Stafford.