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<PRE>[DOCID: f:hr261ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 261

Recognizing the historical significance of the Aquia sandstone quarries 
     of Government Island in Stafford County, Virginia, for their 
 contributions to the construction of the Capital of the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 11, 2001

 Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia (for herself, Mr. Goode, Mr. Wolf, Mr. 
Schrock, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia, Mr. Scott, Mr. Moran of 
   Virginia, Mr. Cantor, and Mr. Goodlatte) submitted the following 
      resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Recognizing the historical significance of the Aquia sandstone quarries 
     of Government Island in Stafford County, Virginia, for their 
 contributions to the construction of the Capital of the United States.

Whereas the First Congress passed the Residence Act authorizing the 
        establishment of a Federal Capital as the seat of Government of the new 
        Republic;
Whereas President George Washington, acting under the authority of the Residence 
        Act, selected the present site of the District of Columbia as the new 
        Federal Capital and seat of government;
Whereas President Washington, aided by then Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, 
        took personal charge of the plans for the development of the new seat of 
        government;
Whereas President Washington decided that the public buildings of the new 
        capital city should be faced in stone so that these buildings would 
        equal or exceed in beauty the buildings of the established capitals of 
        Europe and promote permanence and majesty on the Potomac;
Whereas President Washington, a boyhood resident of Stafford County, Virginia, 
        recommended that the freestone quarries on Aquia Creek in Stafford 
        County be purchased by the Commissioners of Public Buildings as stone 
        quarries for the public buildings of the District of Columbia, a 
        recommendation acted on by Pierre L'Enfant, the planner of the new 
        capital city;
Whereas the new quarries, later named Government Island, became the major source 
        of building stone for the Capitol, the White House, and numerous other 
        public buildings in the District of Columbia;
Whereas there exists substantial evidence of 18th and 19th century stone cutting 
        and quarrying techniques on Government Island, and this physical 
        evidence sheds light on a valuable and informative chapter in the 
        development of the United States Capital; and
Whereas the Board of Supervisors and residents of Stafford County, Virginia, 
        have undertaken action to preserve Government Island for posterity and 
        to make it available for the education and enlightenment of the public: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the national historical significance of the 
        Aquia sandstone quarries of Government Island in Stafford 
        County, Virginia, for their substantial contribution to the 
        construction of the new Capital of the United States under the 
        direction of President George Washington; and
            (2) commends the Board of Supervisors and residents of 
        Stafford County, Virginia, for their efforts to preserve 
        Government Island and to make it available for visitation by 
        the public.
                                 &lt;all&gt;

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