In 1791, President George Washington, who was raised in Stafford County 10 miles south of this site at Ferry Farm, appointed three Commissioners to oversee construction of the new federal capital city, later named Washington, D.C. The Commissioners sent Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant to survey lands along the Potomac River for adequate deposits of freestone, and he selected Brent's Island for its bountiful supply of good-quality freestone, its proximity to the capital city, and its accessibility for water transit. On December 2, 1791, L'Enfant purchased the quarry for the federal government, after which the site became known as The Public Quarry; today it is commonly known as Government Island. The Commissioners also contracted with other nearby private quarry owners for additional building material, and the use of these quarries, along with Government Island, helped further establish quarrying as an important industry in Stafford County. In 1791, L'Enfant wrote to his assistant directing him to go immediately to Aquia Creek to inspect the public quarries and have barracks erected for twenty men on each quarry on the island purchased from Mr. George Brent. Aquia stone was easy to carve, making it a natural choice for intricate decorative details and trim around windows and doors. From the late 1600s through the 1700s, Aquia sandstone was commonly used for gravestones, boundary markers, fireplace mantels, millstones, and bridges throughout Virginia and the mid-Atlantic colonies. During the Federal Period, intricate carving of Aquia stone created striking features at the White House and U.S. Capitol. Approximately two miles northwest of this site stands Aquia Episcopal Church, built in 1751-1757, with freestone architectural components including keystones, quoins, and pediments. Aquia sandstone was also used in other prominent Virginia buildings, including Kenmore in Fredericksburg, built circa 1772, Gunston Hall at Mason Neck, built in 1755-1760, and Christ Church in Alexandria, built in 1767-1773.