Prince William Lecture Series: “Potomac Marble: The Search for the Ideal Stone” by Paul Kreingold

The destruction of Washington in 1814 by the invading British challenged President James Monroe and architect Benjamin Latrobe with the task of rebuilding the destroyed edifices of the city's public buildings. As symbols of the aspirations of the Republic, they had to be more than functional, they had to be beautiful. The building material they discovered and used to beautify the new Capitol was Potomac marble, which exists in abundance on both sides of the Potomac River, from Leesburg in Loudoun County, Virginia to Montgomery and Frederick Counties in Maryland. Local historian Paul Kreingold details Latrobe and Monroe's search for the ideal stone and their fight to use it to rebuild the chambers of the House and Senate. This lecture is a FREE program jointly sponsored by the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation and Historic Prince William.

September 25; 7 – 8:30 p.m.; FREE

Old Manassas Courthouse, 9248 Lee Ave, Manassas, VA. 703-792-1731.

You may also like the following events from Prince William County Historic Preservation Division:

• This October, 24th October, 10:00 am, Road to Victory At Rippon Lodge in Woodbridge