Protected Park
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, MD
National Park Trust is working with the National Park Service (NPS) and the State of Maryland to acquire 1.97 acres tied to the history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and the 19th-century building boom in Washington, DC.
Project Details:
Project Years: 2017 – 2025
Parcel Size: 1.97 acres
Project Status: Ongoing
Why This Place Matters
The parcel includes remains of the Seneca Stone Mill, which are under threat from neglect and vandalism. Adding these lands to the park unit would allow NPS to allocate funds to protect the ruins and offer better access to the public. With property ownership in limbo, graffiti has been added to several walls, and untended trees and vegetation encroach on the structure. In addition, roots, leaning and fallen trees present a hazard to visitors and the ruins.
What to Know
The 1.97-acre parcel is home to the 1837 Seneca Stone Mill ruins. Located near a red sandstone quarry and the newly constructed C & O Canal, the mill was well positioned to capitalize on the construction needs of our nation’s new capital city. Enslaved people and other mill workers cut stone into blocks and shipped them to Washington, DC via the Canal for use in the construction of numerous capital buildings.
In 1846, John P.C. Peter outbid 145 other companies to win the contract to supply red sandstone for a new building in Washington, the Smithsonian Castle. Though not quarried there, workers cut marble and granite to build the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument. The mill closed permanently in 1901.
The mill and grounds were to be transferred from Maryland to the NPS years ago. However, the transfer did not occur and escaped attention until recent years.
Significance of the Acquisition
