The New Nation
Birthstone of the Nation
Gunston Hall
Gunston Hall
Gunston Hall was constructed in Fairfax, Virginia, from 1755 to 1758. It was the home of George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, the forerunner of the Bill of Rights. In the Georgian home of brick, laid in Flemish bond, freestone was used in quoins, chimney caps, the water table, and as keys to the flat arches. No documentation exists that the stone came from Brent’s Island, but as Mason was raised in Stafford County, he knew of its existence. (Mason’s second wife was Sarah Brent, daughter of George Brent of Woodstock.) Mason also suggested his son look at stone from the Aquia quarries for chimney pieces, or mantels.
