Transporting the Stone

Stone from the quarry was dragged by oxen on skids or "stone boats" along a historic road to the wharf, a difficult task because one cubic foot of stone weighed 120 pounds. A canal, cut about 18 feet wide to let scows into the quarry, was also needed to move the stone, though its exact location is unknown. Benjamin Henry Latrobe wrote in 1886 that a canal had once been cut through the marsh between the great mass of rock on the island of Acquia and the deep water of the creek, but that it was then much choked up and barely sufficient to convey stone by scow to vessels bringing it up to the city, with the stone needing to be carted from the quarry to the canal. At the wharf, the stone was loaded onto scows, carried downstream to deeper and more navigable waters around Coal Landing, transferred to larger sailing vessels such as schooners or sloops, taken down Aquia Creek, and shipped up the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. Submerged remnants of a stone wharf remain visible along the shore, and a stone foundation uphill to the west of the wharf, along with brick and mortar fragments, nails, window glass, wrought iron hinges, pieces of serving utensils, and iron kettles, suggests a building that probably served as living quarters during quarrying operations.

Aquia Harbour, Virginia · United States