Gay author Peck mines history for new book

Garrett Peck (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Local gay author Garrett Peck is releasing his fourth book “The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry” about the long forgotten quarry that provided the redstone for the Castle and other buildings in the area. To celebrate its release, Peck will be providing several events around the region, including readings and a walking tour.

• Seneca Quarry Tour starting at the C&O Canal’s Seneca Aqueduct (located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road, Poolesville) Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Attendees are asked to RSVP on the Facebook event page.

• Georgetown Neighborhood Library (3260 R St., NW) hosts Peck at the George Peabody Lecture in the library’s Peabody Room on Thursday evening 6:30 p.m.

• Politics and Prose (5015 Connecticut Ave., NW) holds a book talk and a signing beginning at 5 p.m. on Feb. 24.

• The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital (921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE) hosts a talk by Peck and will feature his photos from prior book “The Potomac River” and “The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28. To register for this event, visit hillcenterdc.org.

• Peck will host a Seneca-Quarry Tour on March 2 starting at the Seneca Aqueduct (at the end of Riley’s Lock Rd., Poolesville) at 1 p.m. After there will be a book party at the Rockland’s Farm (14525 Montevideo Rd., Poolesville) starting at 3:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to RSVP on the Facebook event.

• There will be another Seneca Quarry Tour for Politics & Prose patrons on March 16 at 1 p.m.

• Potomac Riverkeeper, one of the leading advocates for a clean, healthy river, hosts a talk about the quarry at 6:30 p.m. on March 28 at 1100 15^th St., NW, 11^th Floor. Registration details will follow.

• Peck will appear at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 18. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Gaithersburg City Hall Grounds (31 S. Summit Ave., Gaithersburg).

For more information, visit garrettpeck.com.