SENECA CREEK QUARRY HIKE
Saturday, November 21, 2015
12:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Join APT DC for a fall hike to the abandoned Seneca Quarry in Montgomery County that was once the site that provided the distinctly rusty red sandstone for the Smithsonian Castle and hundreds of buildings in the Washington, D.C. area. Late fall is the ideal time to visit the quarry, as the leaves are off the trees and you can see what an incredible site it is.
We'll meet at the C&O Canal's Seneca Aqueduct at the very end of Riley's Lock Road in Seneca, Maryland between 12:30 and 1:00. Garrett Peck, author of The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry will guide us through the quarry beginning at 1:00 pm.
The tour will start at Seneca Aqueduct, where we’ll hear an overview of the quarry's history, then we'll visit the stonecutting mill. We'll venture through the quarry, then up to see the amazingly restored redstone quarry master's house, and over to Bull Run, where they got the stone for the Smithsonian Castle. It should be about a 2.5 hour tour and will cover 1.5 miles round trip (including a steep climb up the quarry walls).
What to bring? The tour will proceed, rain or shine, so be prepared to get a little muddy. This is a walk in the woods, and there is no formal trail beyond deer paths. Wear boots. Dress in warm layers. Pack a snack. And bring your camera.
NOTE: After veering off the canal towpath, the paths through the woods are nothing more than deer trails that are crowded with brush, obstacles and intermittent streams. If you do not wish to do the climb over the quarry wall for whatever reason, you may do the first half of the tour only along mostly flat terrain and return to the parking lot at that point.
2.5 LU/HSW/PDH has been requested from AIA. Please select the proper registration to receive credits. There is a large parking lot and "facilities" (the portable kind) located at Riley's Lock. Because the tour is out of the Metro area, we are encouraging carpooling. Please note if you can provide a ride or if you need a ride. We will *attempt* to pair up riders with drivers on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, a ride is not guaranteed. TOUR IS LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS.
Tickets:
$0.00 APT DC Member Ticket/ $5.00 with CEU/PDH
$15.00 Non-APT DC Member Ticket/ $20.00 with CEU/PDH
Location:
C&O Canal National Historic Park
Riley's Lock Road
Seneca, MD
More Information and Registration:
http://aptdc.org/meetinginfo.php?id=134&ts=1445921078
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Ronda Bernstein
Historical Consultant
APT WASHINGTON CHAPTER INCORPORATED
Washington DC
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