Seneca Red sandstone

Smithsonian Institution, Main Building Washington DC

Description

A fine-grain sandstone quarried along Seneca Creek in Montgomery County, Maryland. The color of Seneca Red sandstone varied from a light reddish brown to cinnamon to a deep purplish brown. It darkens and hardens on exposure to air. From 1845-1875, it was extensively used for buildings in Washington DC, including the original Smithsonian Institution building. The quarries closed about 1890.

Synonyms and Related Terms

red Seneca sandstone

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• Frank A. Lent, Trade names and Descriptions of Marbles, Limestones, Sandstones, Granites and Other Building Stones Quarried in the United States Canada and other Countries., Stone Publishing Co, New York, 1925