| Aquia Creek | |
|---|---|
 Aquia Creek Landing underUnion control in February 1863 during theAmerican Civil War; this position swapped hands between the two armies during 1861 and 1862, until the Union established a logistical supply point at Aquia Creek for theArmy of the Potomac. | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Location | Fauquier andStafford counties,Virginia, U.S. |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Potomac River |
• elevation | 0 feet (0 m) |
| Length | 27.6 mi (44.4 km) |
Aquia Creek (/ɑːˈkwaɪə/) is a 27.6-mile-long (44.4 km)[1]tributary of the tidal segment of thePotomac River and is located inNorthern Virginia. The creek'sheadwaters lie in southeasternFauquier County, and it empties into the Potomac at Brent Point inStafford County, 45 miles (72 km) south ofWashington, D.C.
TheWhite House was built largely using sandstone quarried from Aquia Creek from 1792 to 1799.[2]
ThePublic Quarry at Government Island in the creek served as the source forAquia Creek sandstone. This sandstone was used in numerous public buildings; theNational Capitol Columns were quarried in the early 1800s, and transported to Washington on abarge.[2]The White House, which began its construction in 1799, was built largely from sandstone material that was quarried from the banks of Aquia Creek from the previous seven years (1792-1799).
In an earlyAmerican Civil War skirmish, theBattle of Aquia Creek, three Union gunships fired on a battery garrison during theUnion campaign to blockadeChesapeake Bay between May and June 1861. There were an estimated ten casualties.[3]
38°25′05.9″N77°21′32.6″W / 38.418306°N 77.359056°W /38.418306; -77.359056
