They’ve been a landmark in Rock Creek Park for nearly 50 years, but now the Capitol stones are set to be moved to a new storage facility at Fort Meade in Maryland, save a few.
According to a news release from D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, the not-so-secret destination will keep two or three stones in the park.
After a meeting with the delegate, The National Park Service and the Architect of the Capitol said they will also add signage near the remaining stones to explaining their historical significance.
According to the Architect of the Capitol, the sandstones are being moved to better preserve them for future projects. Many of them are covered in vegetation.
The Architect and NPS are also worried about the safety of people climbing on the stones, though no accidents have been reported.
“While I prefer that all the Capitol stones remain in Rock Creek Park, I am pleased that NPS and AOC committed to working to keep some of the stones in Rock Creek Park,” Norton said in a statement. “The stones have long been an off-the-beaten-path landmark in the District of Columbia, interesting to D.C. residents and tourists.”
The stones were once part of the Capitol’s eastern front facade but were replaced by marble during a 1958 renovation. They were stored at the Capitol Power Plant until 1975 and were then moved to Rock Creek Park.
