Aquia Creek Sandstone, Christ Church

This is a photograph of Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia. The doorway reflects popular 18th Century design elements. A similar pattern surrounds the basement entrance on the north side of the White House. The church was built in 1773 by the Church of England as one of their "public chapels" in the colonies. The brick walls and doors of the church are framed with Aquia Creek sandstone decorations. In 1791, the federal government purchased Government Island, then called Wiggington's Island, to excavate sandstone for the construction of the President's House and the United States Capitol. Government Island, located in Stafford, Virginia, resides on the banks of Aquia Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. The sandstone used at Christ Church, painted white due to its susceptibility to the elements, is of the same origins and the door surrounds are similar to the later design of the White House.