Here's a nice detail shot of one of the original columns that supported the Congress building. The original building was clad in the local Aquia sandstone (the oldest part of the old Patent Office Building -- now the Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art building -- is made of Aquia). When they decided to re-do the capitol building in marble the original columns were removed and put into storage.
At some time in the past, I don't know when exactly, they were moved to the US Arboretum where they are placed together in one massive formation. It's a grand open space in the middle of the field.
Look at the richness of the carving on these columns. Absolutely beautiful. I also love that they decided to use local stone.
Note that these columns survived the burning of the capitol building during the War of 1812. The Brits burned the capitol down and they raise the columns back up again and white washed them again.
My understanding is the choice to use Aquia stone (from Aquia creek in Northern Virginia) was made by none other than Pierre L'Enfant, the designer of the nation's capitol. In the midst of his work to create a plan for the new nation's capitol, he investigated nearby supplies of quarried stone suitable for constructing the capitol.
The other existing parts of the old Aquia capital include the old gatehouses designed by Charles Bulfinch that are now on the Ellipse along Constitution Avenue.
