Robertson-Towson House Historic Site - Stafford VA
N 38° 26.515 W 077° 25.486
18S E 288381 N 4257633
Two historic sites in Stafford, VA were researched and commemorated with markers for a local student's Eagle Scout project.
Waymark Code: WMAWG6
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 03/03/2011
Views: 3
For his Eagle Scout project, Jimmy Fritz of Troop 121 in Quantico, Virginia researched two historic sites in Stafford, VA. and developed and supervised the installation of historical markers at the locations.
One of the signs was installed at the Robertson-Towson House, a preserved ruin that was the home of William Robertson and later, Thomas Towson, who during the late 18th century and early 19th century owned and operated a nearby quarry which supplied sandstone to construction in the nation's capital and mid-Atlantic states. The sign reads:
The Robertson -Towson House
Circa 1820
When Benjamin Henry Latrobe, architect of the U.S. Capitol, visited Stafford in 1806, he found on this “beautiful little knoll in the midst of the woods close to his quarry…a log house,” the home of quarryman William Robertson. Robertson’s quarry was, and had been, contributing Aquia stone, or sandstone, for construction of the United States Capitol.
After Robertson’s death in 1818, Baltimore architect and stone carver, Thomas Towson, acquired the land. Towson designed and built a unique all-sandstone house whose walls remain today. Towson continued to operate the quarry, and stone from this site was used in buildings across the mid-Atlantic.
The preservation and stabilization project of this house was completed in 2002 by Richard Wolff, President and CEO of Geo. H. Rucker Realty Corporation of McLean, Virginia, and the developer of Austin Ridge. This house is a tangible reminder of a quarry and stone the materially contributed to the growth of the nation.
The other site Jimmy Fritz researched and installed a sign at was the quarry Robertson originally owned and Towson took over. The Robertson Quarry is approximately .2 miles away.
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