You are here

Stone and Rose: Exhibit Celebrates Craftsmanship Of White House Stonemasons

Share
A Double Scottish Rose is on display at the White House/NPS

This Double Scottish Rose, carved of stone, is on display at the White House/NPS

The White House Visitor Center is displaying a newly carved Double Scottish Rose that celebrates the legacy of the original stonemasons of the White House. The Double Scottish Rose design became popular in the 18th century and was a great source of pride for the people of Scotland, including the Scottish stonemasons who worked on the White House in the 1790s. The design appears throughout the White House exterior walls, columns, porticos and above the North Door.

The exhibit’s stone carving was created this year by Charles Jones, a Scottish stonemason with Historical Environment Scotland and Dale Lupton of the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center. The stone is from the same quarry in Aquia, Virginia, that produced the stone used in the construction of the White House.

“The stonemasons of Scotland today are the legacy of great craftsman from the 18th century who came to Washington and created the beautiful carvings that we still see on the White House,” said Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association. “We are thrilled to have this newly carved reminder of that extraordinary stonemason talent.”

This exhibit was produced through the White House Historical Association’s partnership with the National Park Service, White House Office of the Curator, and Historic Environment Scotland. The exhibit will run through October at the White House Visitors Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20230.

Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.