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The Robertson/Towson House, commonly called the 'Old Stone House,' is made of Aquia stone, |
WHEN I VISITED an old
friend last week, I was
surprised by her new look. I hadn't seen her in more than a year, and it was clear she had undergone some reconstruction.
You know what I meansome patching here, some stabilizing there. I also detected some new caps and a general makeover.
The new look was flattering, especially when you consider my friend is about 180 years old.
I sensed that her spirit had been restored as well. She didn't seem the least bit offended when I joked that she was still as big as a house.
After all, she is a house.
My friend is commonly called the "Old Stone House," and she resides on a hill near Rocky Run on the southern edge of Austin Ridge subdivision in North Stafford.
Her more formal name is the "Robertson/Towson House," which combines the names of the two families who built homes on the site and operated a nearby sandstone quarry during the 1800s.
The house is made of Aquia stone, which is a generic name for the type of sandstone found in a band that runs through Stafford County.
Now just a great stone shell, the structure being restored is significant, according to experts, because it is probably the best example of an all-sandstone house as you will find in Stafford County.
"Aquia Stone was usually used just for basements and architectural trim during the 1700s and 1800s," said Jane Henderson Conner, a local historian who has done extensive research on Stafford's sandstone industry.
"It was unusual to have an all-sandstone house."
Conner also said there is documentation to show that stone from the nearby quarry was shipped to Washington for the construction of public buildings, including the U.S. Capitol.
"The site is important to the history of the nation, as well as the history of Stafford County," she said. "I'm delighted it's being saved. And I hope the people who live in Austin Ridge realize how important it is."
The restoration project should be completed by the end of June according to Rick Wolff, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Geo. H. Rucker Realty Corporation of McLean, which is developing Austin Ridge.
I was first introduced to the Robertson/Towson House in March of last year. I toured the site with Wolff, who was then considering his options in preserving the ruins. One idea at that time was to put a free-standing roof over the whole structure and use it as the centerpiece for a picnic area.
"We met with people from the county, with stone experts and even a representative of the Park Service," Wolff said. "Everyone was impressed with the historical significance of the site. And it seemed everyone agreed that we did not want to disturb the site very much."
The project began several months ago by clearing the site of brush and debris. The restoration work is being overseen by Shelton Alley, president of Vicente Stone Inc. of Reston.
"It was in such a state that if you had moved a few stones just a little, the whole thing would have come down in about 60 seconds," Alley said.
"So we thought, let's stabilize what we've got, so it won't deteriorate any more. That way, if someone wants to do a full-blown restoration some time in the future, it will still be standing."
Alley said his workmen drilled through the stone at key areas near windows and doors and inserted stainless-steel rods and epoxy adhesive. In addition, the seams were grouted with new mortar, and the walls were capped to shed water.
The stone house was built
by Thomas Towson sometime between 1820 and 1840. He was a businessman and land speculator who moved to Stafford County from Baltimore.
Towson attached the stone house to a log structure that had been built about 1800 by William Robertson. The chimney from that original log house still stands.
Robertson cleared the land for his cabin and moved from a few miles away to be closer to the quarry he operated on Rocky Run.
An early visitor to Robertson's cabin was Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who has been hailed as "the father of American architecture." Latrobe visited Stafford in 1806 in search of sandstone for new buildings in Washington.
He spent a night at Robertson's cabin and included a sketch of the property in his diary.
Sandstone from Robertson's quarry was hauled by oxen, mules or horses and taken to Coal Landing on Aquia Creek for shipment.
According to historian Barbara Kirby, who along with Conner has been a consultant on the restoration project, many Stafford residents made a living during the early 1800s from the county's sandstone quarries. She cites the 1820 Census, which shows farming as the No. 1 occupation in Stafford and quarrying as No. 2.
Alley said there was enough stone around the Robertson/Towson House to do the restoration. And in order to match the mortar, he brought in sand from southern Maryland.
"I think once it dries, you'll hardly notice the difference between the old and new," he said.
During his career, Alley said he has been involved with several sandstone restoration projects, including the Capitol building, the White House and the Carlisle House in Alexandria.
"This house had some good stone and some bad stone," he said. "But it looks like they had fun building it--and it's still damn near square. There's been very little movement in the stone, and it's still in good shape.
"Regardless of the history, I can appreciate it for the workmanship. And it's impressive."
Wolff said the restoration project will cost about $100,000. When the stonemasons finish their work, he said an 8-foot wrought-iron fence will replace the chain-link fence that surrounds the structure now.
Wolff also said there have been preliminary discussions within the Austin Ridge Homeowners Association about giving the Robertson/Towson House to Stafford County.
"That way, the county can preserve it and research it," he said. "The HOA wouldn't have to be concerned about insurance, and residents could still have the aesthetic benefits. We've cleaned up the area down to Rocky Run, and we could put picnic tables in that area."
Wolff said a decision could come as early as the HOA's annual meeting next fall.
In the meantime, visitors to the development's swimming pool this summer can enjoy a clear view of the restored stone structure.
All I ask is to treat her with respect, and give her my regards.
