Government Island - Stafford County VA - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Government Island was the site of a quarry of sandstone or freestone that was used to build churches, homes, bridges, and tombstones in colonial times. Originally owned by the Brent family, some of the first settlers in VA, the island was purchased in 1791 by Pierre L'Enfant at the direction of George Washington to provide stone for the building of the nation's capital. It was used for the construction of the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

Other historic buildings that used the sandstone include Aquia Church in Stafford, Gunston Hall in Lorton, and Christ Church in Alexandria. George Washington even built the steps and walkways at Mount Vernon with it.

Through a series of ownerships, Stafford County eventually acquired the property in 1998. According to a news release at stafford.va.us and tourstaffordva.com, Government Island (also referred to as Wiggington's Island, Brent Island, Aquia Quarry, Public Quarry, and Aquia Sandstone Quarry) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, although the NRHP lists it as being added in 2003.

This historic island was officially opened to the public on November 6, 2010. A natural-surface loop trail leads to quarry sites that show chisel marks and trenches that were hand-carved through vertical cliffs of stone. There are foundations indicating other structures once stood here. The island is accessed via a paved path and boardwalk. Government Island, surrounded by marshland, is also a great place to observe birds, wildlife, and aquatic plants.

(Please note that at the time of this listing, there were no interpretive signs or historic markers in place, although they are planned for the future.)

For more information on park guidelines and directions, go here.

Additional resources:

• aquiaharbor.org: Early History of the Area
• Government Island to Open to the Public

Street address: 191 Coal Landing Rd Stafford, VA USA 22554 County / Borough / Parish: Stafford County Year listed: 2003 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Information Potential Periods of significance: 1750-1799, 1800-1824, 1825-1849 Historic function: Industry/Processing/Extraction Current function: Landscape, Vacant/Not In Use Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 1: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   04/18/2011 garmin_geek visited it