IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 261

Recognizing the historical significance of the Aquia sandstone quarries of

Government Island in Stafford County, Virginia, for their contributions

to the construction of the Capital of the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 11, 2001

Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia (for herself, Mr. GOODE, Mr. WOLF, Mr.

SCHROCK, Mr. FORBES, Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. SCOTT, Mr.

MORAN of Virginia, Mr. CANTOR, and Mr. GOODLATTE) submitted the

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the historical significance of the Aquia sandstone

quarries of Government Island in Stafford County, Virginia, for their contributions to the construction of the

Capital of the United States.

Whereas the First Congress passed the Residence Act authorizing the establishment of a Federal Capital as the seat

of Government of the new Republic;

Whereas President George Washington, acting under the authority of the Residence Act, selected the present site of

the District of Columbia as the new Federal Capital and

seat of government;
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Whereas President Washington, aided by then Secretary of

State Thomas Jefferson, took personal charge of the

plans for the development of the new seat of government;

Whereas President Washington decided that the public buildings of the new capital city should be faced in stone so

that these buildings would equal or exceed in beauty the

buildings of the established capitals of Europe and promote permanence and majesty on the Potomac;

Whereas President Washington, a boyhood resident of Stafford County, Virginia, recommended that the freestone

quarries on Aquia Creek in Stafford County be purchased

by the Commissioners of Public Buildings as stone quarries for the public buildings of the District of Columbia,

a recommendation acted on by Pierre L’Enfant, the planner of the new capital city;

Whereas the new quarries, later named Government Island,

became the major source of building stone for the Capitol, the White House, and numerous other public buildings in the District of Columbia;

Whereas there exists substantial evidence of 18th and 19th

century stone cutting and quarrying techniques on Government Island, and this physical evidence sheds light on

a valuable and informative chapter in the development of

the United States Capital; and

Whereas the Board of Supervisors and residents of Stafford

County, Virginia, have undertaken action to preserve

Government Island for posterity and to make it available

for the education and enlightenment of the public: Now,

therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
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1 (1) recognizes the national historical signifi2 cance of the Aquia sandstone quarries of Govern3 ment Island in Stafford County, Virginia, for their

4 substantial contribution to the construction of the

5 new Capital of the United States under the direction

6 of President George Washington; and

7 (2) commends the Board of Supervisors and

8 residents of Stafford County, Virginia, for their ef9 forts to preserve Government Island and to make it

10 available for visitation by the public.

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