Just off the tow path of the C&O canal, there are the remains of a quarry and the ruins of one of the most important stone mills in the Washington, DC region. Join APT DC for a webinar on the history and significance of the Seneca Sandstone Quarry and Mill followed by a tour to learn more about the site and the infrastructure built to make it function.
Webinar - Thursday, February 6, 12:00pm-1:00pm: Garrett Peck
The webinar to explore the history of the Seneca Quarry in Montgomery County, Maryland. This obscure quarry, located deep in the woods near the C&O Canal in Poolesville, MD provided the red sandstone for the Smithsonian Castle and hundreds of buildings in the Washington, DC area until it closed in 1901. Author and historian Garrett Peck literally wrote the book about the Seneca Quarry and will cover its history and importance.
Garrett Peck is an author, tour guide and historian living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He lived in the DC area for 27 years and published The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry in 2013, and formerly led tours of the quarry. He is currently working on a book about how Willa Cather wrote her “best book” (her words) Death Comes for the Archbishop, due out from University of New Mexico Press in late 2025. For more information, please see Garrett's website: www.garrettpeck.com
Tour - Saturday, February 8, 10:00am-12:00pm: Joe Himali (LIMIT 25 ATTENDEES)
We will explore the ruins of the Seneca Sandstone Mill and hike to the quarry itself and see the veins of stone that produced the blocks that were used in the construction of the Smithsonian Castle and many other important buildings in Washington, DC.
The tour includes a discussion of the checkered and tragic history of the C&O Canal including a visit to see Riley’s Lockhouse and the special lock it controlled, which is the only combination aqueduct and lock on the entire canal.
You will learn how this historic site is intricately intertwined with the history of Washington, DC, its powerful elites, the collapse of the Freedman’s Bank, along with other fascinating stories.
The tour is approximately 1.5 miles/2.4 km. The path may be slippery and uneven and requires outdoor gear. You will want to wear strong, waterproof shoes with good grip and clothes that can handle overgrown, dense foliage, brambles, and mud.
Finally, for anyone who wants to join, we will continue the conversation with Joe with lunch on your own at the nearby Rocklands Farm Winery.
Joe Himali is a licensed real estate agent and public historian and content creator who travels across the United States and the world to produce engaging videos and content about the unnoticed, unappreciated, and unknown in history, architecture, and design. He shares his finds with his loyal community of over 400,000 followers across multiple platforms. Locally, Joe leads popular walking tours of neighborhoods and historic areas in Washington, DC, and hosts public and private events related to history and historic preservation.
When Joe is not shooting videos or attending events you will find him representing buyers and sellers as an expert real estate agent with 26 years of experience. He specializes in historic homes but works with all property types across all price ranges from luxury estates to studio apartments. He is licensed in Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.
To learn more about Joe, check out his webpage: www.BestAddress.com or his social media sites. On Instagram, YouTube and TikTok his handle is @bestaddress.
*AIA CEUs are being sought for this event.
- 1 AIA CEU for the webinar
- 2 AIA CEUs for the tour
A note about event payment: