Learn the history behind the re-building of the Capital City after the War of 1812. The destruction of Washington in 1814 by the invading British challenged President James Monroe & architect Benjamin Latrobe with the task of rebuilding the destroyed edifices of the city's public buildings. As symbols of the aspirations of the Republic, they had to be more than functional, they had to be beautiful. The building material they discovered and used to beautify the new Capitol was Potomac marble, which exists in abundance on both sides of the Potomac River, from Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia to Montgomery and Frederick Counties in Maryland. Local historian Paul Kreingold details Latrobe and Monroe's search for the ideal stone and their fight to use it to rebuild the chambers of the House and Senate.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"Americans tend to think of the White House as a symbol of the Presidency rather than an exceptional example of early American craftsmanship. Yet, when seen close-up, the building is both bold and delicate in a way that surprises and impresses most visitors--surprises because such delicate ornamentation is carved out of stone, and impresses because such craftsmanship adds a new dimension to our appreciation of the White House as a landmark building. While a number of stories can be told about building the President's House in the 1790s, this story is limited to what it took to carve a stone building, and the preservation of that work as part of the White House's 200th anniversary"--Page 1.

Heritage stones are building and ornamental stones that have special significance in human culture. The papers in this volume discuss a wide variety of such materials, including stones from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Igneous (basalt, porphyry, granite), sedimentary (sandstone, limestone) and metamorphic (marble, quartzite, gneiss, soapstone, slate) stones are featured. These have been utilized over long periods of time for a wide range of uses contributing to the historic fabric of the built environment. Many of these stones are of international significance, and so are potential Global Heritage Stone Resources, that is stones that have the requisite qualities for international recognition by the Heritage Stones Subcommission of the International Union of Geological Sciences. The papers bring together diverse information on these stones ranging from their geological setting and quarry locations to mechanical properties, current availability, and uses over time. As such the papers can serve as an entry into the literature on these important stones.