History Conversations: Potomac Marble: The History of the Search for the Ideal Stone

Tuesday, February 27 at 2 p.m.

with Paul Kreingold |

In his talk on “Potomac Marble: The History of the Search for the Ideal Stone,” Paul Kreingold explores the aftermath of Washington’s 1814 destruction by the British, highlighting President Monroe and Benjamin Latrobe’s quest to rebuild the capital with symbolic and aesthetically pleasing materials. They selected Potomac Marble, a limestone conglomerate found along the Potomac River, for the Capitol’s columns. Kriengold discusss the challenges they faced, including political opposition and quarrying difficulties. His research has led to the rediscovery of these historic quarries, and he will present polished samples, discuss the British’s methods for burning stone buildings, early 19th-century quarrying techniques, and the use of the Potomac Canal for transporting the stone to Washington, D.C. for carving.