This photograph of the grave of John Clipper, known as Jack, was taken by Martin Radigan. John Clipper was a freeman and stonecutter whose hand-carved, Seneca sandstone headstone is one of five remaining in the Seneca Quarry cemetery. He was born into slavery in 1840 in Hanover, Virginia and freed during the Civil War. He came to Maryland and worked at the Seneca quarry mill. He lived in a house near the C&O Canal with his wife and ten children.

This photograph was taken by Martin Radigan. It shows the lockkeeper's house in the Seneca quarry, a site which provided much of the stone used for buildings in Washington, D.C. This house was built of Seneca sandstone in 1829, just as the North Portico of the White House was being built.

This photograph by Martin Radigan shows what remains of the Seneca Quarry, from which early stone for the White House was sourced. It was located in Maryland near the Potomac River where the stone could be easily transported back to the capital.

This photograph by Martin Radigan shows what remains of the Seneca Quarry, from which early stone for the White House was sourced. It was located in Maryland near the Potomac River where the stone could be easily transported back to the capital.

This photograph by Martin Radigan shows what remains of the Seneca Quarry, from which early stone for the White House was sourced. It was located in Maryland near the Potomac River where the stone could be easily transported back to the capital.

This photograph shows where craftsmen split and harvested the stone from the natural outcroppings in Aquia quarry on Government Island for building materials. After splitting the stones the craftsmen would evaluate their quality deciding whether to discard the stones or send them to the building site. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This photograph shows where craftsmen split and harvested the stone from the natural outcroppings in Aquia quarry on Government Island for building materials. After splitting the stones the craftsmen would evaluate their quality deciding whether to discard the stones or send them to the building site. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This photograph is of the unused stone at Aquia quarry. The stones bear the chisel marks from splitting and smoothing indicating they were being prepared for transport, but ultimately abandoned for some physical defect. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This photograph is of the unused stone at Aquia quarry. The stones bear the chisel marks from splitting and smoothing indicating they were being prepared for transport, but ultimately abandoned for some physical defect. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This photograph was taken on Government Island in Stafford, Virginia. The federal government purchased the island, then known as Wiggington's Island, in 1791. The island served as a quarry for the freestone that was used to build the President's House and the United States Capitol Building. Extensive amounts of freestone were extracted from 1791 to the 1820s. In this photograph is natural stone that had been successfully split by the quarrymen but left behind, likely due to physical imperfections. Bright green lichen has covered the stone over the years.

This photograph was taken on Government Island in Stafford, Virginia. The federal government purchased the island, then known as Wiggington's Island, in 1791. The island served as a quarry for the freestone that was used to build the President's House and the United States Capitol Building. Extensive amounts of freestone were extracted from 1791 to the 1820s. This photograph captures a "quarry-face," or the trimming of a stone with a chisel. Stonemasons would trim each of the six faces of a stone before the stone was cut into even smaller blocks. The forward facing side of the block would then be smoothed while the remaining five faces, unexposed and unseen in the walls of the building, were left rough.

This letter by Thomas Towson follows up on a previous letter to Joseph Elger dated July 1, 1824. Here, he updates Elger on the status of removing stone from the quarry for use as the columns of the South Portico and states that a sufficient amount of stone has been cleared. Please see images 1113553, 1113565, and 1113566 for the July 1st letter.

This photograph was taken on Government Island in Stafford, Virginia. The federal government purchased the island, then known as Wiggington's Island, in 1791. The island served as a quarry for the freestone that was used to build the President's House and the United States Capitol Building. Extensive amounts of freestone were extracted from 1791 to the 1820s. This photograph captures the remnants of an outcropping overtaken by growth and invasive tree roots. Quarrymen likely split off the better stone from this outcropping and left the remaining due to the recesses and holes, which meant the stone was too weak for construction. The stone also shows visible signs of chisel and tool marks.

This photograph is of Aquia Creek near Government Island in Stafford, Virginia. The federal government purchased the island, then known as Wiggington's Island, in 1791. The island served as a quarry for the freestone that was used to build the President's House and the United States Capitol Building. Extensive amounts of freestone were extracted from 1791 to the 1820s. Stone extracted was then transported to Washington, D.C. via Aquia Creek and the Potomac River.

This photograph is of the stone quarry on the shores of Aquia Creek. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol Building. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This letter was written by Aquia quarry manager Thomas Towson to Public Buildings Commissioner Joseph Elger. In it, Towson assures Elger that there is enough stone to construct the six columns of the South Portico of the White House. Included in the letter is a drawing of the site with the property lines of Wiggington's Island clearly demarcated. This is page two of three from the letter. Please see images 1113553 and 1113566 for page one and three.

This photograph was taken on Government Island in Stafford, Virginia. The federal government acquired all but one acre of the island, then known as Wiggington's Island, in 1791. The island served as a quarry for the freestone that was used to build the President's House and the United States Capitol Building. Extensive amounts of freestone were extracted from 1791 to the 1820s. In this photograph, the mark of stonemason Robert Steuart of Baltimore, Maryland, who purchased the remaining one acre in 1786, is seen on this boundary marker with the initials, "R.S."

This letter was written by Aquia quarry manager Thomas Towson to Public Buildings Commissioner Joseph Elger. In it, Towson assures Elger that there is enough stone to construct the six columns of the South Portico of the White House. Included in the letter is a drawing of the site with the property lines of Wiggington's Island clearly demarcated. This is page three of three from the letter. Please see images 1113553 and 1113565 for pages 1-2.

This photograph is of one of the unused stones at Aquia quarry on Government Island. The stones bear the chisel marks from splitting and smoothing indicating they were being prepared for transport, but ultimately abandoned because of some physical defect. In 1791, the federal government purchased Wiggington’s Island, now Government Island, to provide stone to build the President’s House and the United States Capitol Building. From 1791 through the 1820s extensive quantities of freestone were extracted from this site.

This letter was written by Aquia quarry manager Thomas Towson to Public Buildings Commissioner Joseph Elger. In it, Towson assures Elger that there is enough stone to construct the six columns of the South Portico of the White House. Included in the letter is a drawing of the site with property lines clearly demarcated. This is page one of three from the letter. Please see images 1113565 and 1113566 for pages 2-3.