St. Mary's City in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Illusion of Brick

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones, August 30, 2019

1. The Illusion of Brick Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

In this area, archaeologists found remains of a brick foundation. Some of the brick fragments had mortar displaying impressions of wooden clapboard. Only if the bricks were laid tightly against an existing clapboard covered wall would "fossils" of the wood grain be created in the mortar on one side of the brick. This evidence shows that ca. 1678, Garrett Van Sweringen added a brick veneer to the Council Chamber to make it look like a more impressive brick building. The Dutch in New York and New Jersey frequently employed similar veneers on structures during the late 17th and 18th centuries.

The wall here is a reconstruction showing the mortar impressions and clapboard arrangement indicated by the the archaeological evidence.

Erected by Historic St. Mary's City.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Colonial Era • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1678.

Location. 38° 11.114′ N, 76° 26.044′ W. Marker is in St. Mary's City, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker can

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be reached from Old State House Road north of Point Lookout Road (Maryland Route 5), on the left when traveling north. The marker is inside the open-air Council Chamber on the Van Sweringen site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 47414 Old State House Road, Saint Marys City MD 20686, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Council Roome (here, next to this marker); A Change in Government (here, next to this marker); A Private Lodging House (here, next to this marker); The Kitchen (here, next to this marker); The Servants (here, next to this marker); A Busy Kitchen (here, next to this marker); The Cooling House (a few steps from this marker); Cellar Archaeology (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Mary's City.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 7 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 3, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.