Washington DC Geology Gallery

The District of Columbia has a reputation as a muggy swamp in summer and a windswept, slushy waste in winter, not to mention JFK's famous quip that Washington combines "Southern efficiency and Northern charm." But it was sited well, at the edge of the Piedmont belt near the Fall Line, like many an eastern city of the time. There water power and building stone were in ready supply near a decent shipping channel. If you poke around the nation's capital, you'll find this city still has a heart. When I visited Washington last month for a few days, I had only time to take in the standard attractions—that is to say, its eclectic, well-chosen building stones. Here's an annotated selection from that early-autumn stay, part of my Geology of Washington DC category.

Seneca sandstone of the Smithsonian — Geology Guide photo