Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Seneca Quarry on Metro Connection


Have you ever wondered where the bright red sandstone came from that built the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington, DC? It came from the Seneca quarry, a long-forgotten site in western Montgomery County, Maryland, right on the Potomac. It is perhaps my most memorable research discovery in The Potomac River: A History and Guide.

The Smithsonian Castle (1847). Photo by Garrett Peck

The quarry – or rather, quarries (there are six of them) – are overgrown with brush and trees and almost inaccessible since they shut down early in the twentieth century. It’s especially remarkable seeing the Seneca stone cutting mill, built in 1837, which looks like a ruin in the Peruvian jungle – only it’s bright red. It sits only a few hundred feet from the Seneca Aqueduct on the C&O Canal, yet most people walk past without ever noticing it.

The Seneca Stone Cutting Mill (1837). Photo by Garrett Peck

Last week, I took Rebecca Sheir, host of WAMU 88.5 FM’s Metro Connection, out to the Seneca quarry to show her the site. She recorded our visit, which will play on Friday, March 30 at 1:00pm – and rebroadcast on Saturday, March 31 at 7:00am. Afterwards it will be posted as a podcast – and you’ll also find an extensive photo essay, thanks to my friend and professional photographer Tom Espinoza who served as our official photographer for the outing.

We also met Bob Albiol, the man who restored and lives in the quarry masters house above the Seneca quarry. He knew a tremendous amount about the quarry and its operations, and he even told us that an illegal still operated out of one of the quarries during Prohibition. I’m already planning a return visit. 

WAMU's Rebecca Sheir interviews Bob Albiol, who restored and
lives in the Seneca Quarry Masters House (1830). Photo by Garrett Peck

This was my second time on Metro Connection: we did a segment in 2011 about the bar Dirty Martini in Dupont Circle, which was the high-end speakeasy the Mayflower Club in the waning days of Prohibition. Click here to listen to that Prohibition podcast. 

I hope you’ll tune in this Friday at 1:00pm to Metro Connection!

Garrett Peck

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