Garrett Peck often speaks about history and alcohol-related topics, in addition to leading the Temperance Tour and guiding people through the Seneca quarry. Join him at one of these events for his fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry.

2013

Montgomery County Historical Society. Much of the research and photos collected in The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry came from archives such as MCHS. Garrett Peck give an evening talk about unearthing the fascinating quarry at the historical society’s annual meeting on June 5 at Rocklands Farm. 

Temperance Tour. Peck will be leading the Temperance Tour of Prohibition-related sites in Washington, DC on June 8 from 1 - 4:00pm. This is a special tour through Politics & Prose; the $45 tour fee includes admission to the Woodrow Wilson House. Register here. Please bring a Metro card, good walking shoes, sunscreen and water. Happy hour follows!

Montgomery County Heritage Day. This all-weekend extravaganza of all-things Montgomery County will feature dozens of free events - including a book signing of The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry and a tour of the Seneca stonecutting mill. Meet author Garrett Peck on June 29 from 12:00 - 2:00pm at the C&O Canal’s Seneca Aqueduct at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. The hour-long tour will start at 1:00pm.

Smithsonian Associates. Peck will join Smithsonian Castle collection curator Richard Stamm on a joint talk about the history of the Castle. Books will be raffled off, and a book signing will follow. September 27 at 10:30am. Registration details to follow.

Watch for another Smithsonian Associates event this fall: a special guided tour of the Seneca quarry.

And stay tuned for more tours of Seneca quarry in November and December 2013, once the leaves have fallen and the quarry is accessible.

Past Events - 2013

Seneca Quarry Tour. Peck’s fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, will be published in February 2013 (The History Press). He will lead a two-hour tour of the Seneca quarry on Saturday, January 5. This will start at 11am at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD.

Seneca Quarry Tour - Small Group. Peck’s fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, is out in February 2013! He will lead an exclusive small group tour (4-12 people) through the quarry on Saturday, February 2. This will start at 11am at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Participants must register for the tour via SideTour; $30 per person, which includes a signed copy of Peck’s new book.

One More Page Books. Garrett Peck will be leading up a double header, giving a fun talk about his latest two books, both published within the last year: The Potomac River and its sequel The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry. One More Page Books is famous for not only books and author events, but for hosting wine events and chocolate tastings. What more reason do you need to come? Books will be available for purchase and signature. February 13 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. 2200 N. Westmoreland Street #101 in lovely Arlington, VA.

Seneca Quarry Tour. Peck’s fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, is out in February 2013! To celebrate, he will lead a free two-hour tour through the quarry on Saturday, February 16. This will start at 11am at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Books will be available for purchase and signature. Please RVSP via the Facebook Event.

Georgetown Neighborhood Library. The newly-restored Georgetown library will host Peck for the First Annual George Peabody Lecture in the library’s Peabody Room. He will speak about his new book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry (did you know that the Peter family of Tudor Place owned the quarry until 1866?). February 21, 6:30 - 8:00pm. 3260 R Street, NW. Books will be available for purchase and signature.

Seneca Quarry Tour - Small Group. Peck’s fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, is out in February 2013! He will lead an exclusive small group tour (4-12 people) through the quarry on Saturday, February 23. This will start at 11am at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Participants must register for the tour via SideTour; $30 per person, which includes a signed copy of Peck’s new book.

Politics & Prose. Washington’s proud independent bookstore will host Peck for a talk about The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry. 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Sunday, February 24 at 5:00pm. Books will be available for purchase and signature.

Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital. Peck will give a talk showing stunning photos from his two latest books, The Potomac River and its sequel, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, at the newly renovated and opened Hill Center at 921 Pennsylvania Ave, SE. Thursday, February 28 at 7:00pm. Books will be available for purchase and signature. Free, but please register here.

Seneca Quarry Tour. To celebrate the publication of The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry, Peck will lead a two-hour tour through the quarry on Saturday, March 2. This will start at 1:00pm at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Afterwards there will be a reception, house tour, and book signing at nearby Rocklands Farm, a lovely 1870 Seneca redstone mansion, starting around 3:30pm. Books will be available for purchase and signature.

Seneca Quarry Tour - Small Group. Peck will lead an exclusive small group tour (4-12 people) through the quarry on Saturday, March 23. This will start at 1:00pm at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Participants must register for the tour via SideTour; $30 per person. This is the last quarry tour of the season; tours will resume in late fall.

Potomac Riverkeeper. Peck will be giving a talk for Potomac Riverkeeper, one of the leading advocates for a clean, healthy river on March 28 at 6:30pm. Books will be for sale and signing. Register here. 1100 15th Street, NW, 11th Floor.

Literary Hill BookFest 2013. Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market hosts the annual Literary Hill BookFest, and Peck will be signing not one, not two, but three titles: his latest work, The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry; The Potomac River: A History and Guide; and Prohibition in Washington, D.C.: How Dry We Weren’t. May 5, 11:00am - 3:00pm. He’ll also give a short talk about his writing at 12:30pm in the North Hall. 225 7th Street, SE in our beautiful nation’s capital.

Smithsonian Garden Fest. The Enid A. Haupt Garden outside the Smithsonian Castle is the site of the annual Garden Fest. Peck will be signing copies of The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry. May 10, 3:00 - 4:00pm. 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW in our beautiful nation’s capital.

Gaithersburg Book Festival. This is one of the premier book festivals of the mid-Atlantic, and Peck will be speaking about his two most recent books, The Potomac River and The Smithsonian Castle and the Seneca Quarry on Saturday, May 18, 11:15am in the Rachel Carson Pavilion in a panel discussion with Matt Dembicki, author of District Comics. A book signing will follow in the Politics & Prose Pavilion. Gaithersburg City Hall Grounds, 31 S. Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD. 

Past Events - 2012

Seneca Quarry. Have you ever wondered where the bright red sandstone for the Smithsonian Castle came from? Garrett Peck leads Rebecca Sheir, host of WAMU 88.5 FM’s Metro Connection, to the Seneca quarry to show the historic and regional significance of this long-forgotten site. The show broadcasts at 1pm on March 30, and repeats at 7am on March 31. It will also be available via streaming audio.

Publication Party. Congressional Cemetery will host a fun springtime publication party for Garrett Peck’s newly published The Potomac River, turning the public vault into a bar as we party among the saints. This will be a fundraiser for this local gem. Register on the Congressional Cemetery website: the $30 admission includes a copy of the book, cocktails, and special tours of the cemetery. Additional books will be available for purchase and signature. April 26 from 6:00 - 8:00pm. 1801 E Street, SE.

Georgetown Neighborhood Library. The newly-restored Georgetown library will host Peck, who will kickoff a month-long series at the library’s Peabody Room featuring local authors and local history. He will speak about his new book, The Potomac River. May 3, 6:00 - 8:00pm. 3260 R Street, NW.

Literary Hill BookFest 2012. Capitol Hill’s Eastern Market hosts the annual Literary Hill BookFest, and Peck will be signing not one but two titles: his latest work, The Potomac River, and Prohibition in Washington, D.C. North Hall. May 6, 11:00am - 3:00pm. 225 7th Street, SE

Barnes & Noble Clarendon. Garrett will be signing books at this popular neighborhood bookstore in the heart of Arlington. Come on by and chat with the author about your favorite places to explore along the Potomac River! May 12 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Market Common Clarendon, 2800 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 500 in lovely Arlington, VA. 

Gaithersburg Book Festival. This is one of the premier book festivals of the mid-Atlantic, and Peck will be speaking about his two most recent books, The Potomac River and Prohibition in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, May 19 from 4:00 - 4:40 pm in the Gertrude Stein Pavilion, then signing books afterwards. Gaithersburg City Hall Grounds, 31 S. Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD. 

One More Page Books. Garrett will be leading up a double header, giving a fun talk about his latest two books, both published within the last year: The Potomac River and Prohibition in Washington, D.C. One More Page Books is famous for not only books and author events, but for hosting wine events and chocolate tastings. What more reason do you need to come?  And of course, books will be for sale and signature. May 23 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. 2200 N. Westmoreland Street #101 in lovely Arlington, VA.

Temperance Tour. Peck will be leading the Temperance Tour of Prohibition-related sites on Washington, DC on June 30 from 12 - 3:00pm. The tour is FREE and open to the public.  (please bring a Metro card and $7.00 for the Woodrow Wilson House admission fee). Happy hour follows!

Costco, Pentagon City. Peck will be signing copies of The Potomac River at the Pentagon City Costco on Saturday, July 21 from 11:00am - 1:00pm. 1200 S. Fern Street, Arlington, VA

Potomac Riverkeeper. Peck will be giving a talk for Potomac Riverkeeper, one of the leading advocates for a clean, healthy river on August 9 at 6:30pm. The cost is free for members, and a special $20 membership is being offered that night. Books will be for sale and signing. RSVP here. 1100 15th Street, NW, 11th Floor.

Congressional Cemetery Book Festival. Congressional Cemetery, host of the publication party for The Potomac River, will hold its first-ever book festival with many local authors. Come meet some of your favorite authors and meet Garrett Peck, who will be on hand to sell and sign copies of The Potomac River. Details are posted on the Congressional Cemetery website. August 11 from 3:30 - 6:30pm. 1801 E Street, SE.

Arlington County Central Library. On September 17 - the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam - Peck will give a talk about his photography for his book The Potomac River, focusing on the crucial roles of John Brown, Harpers Ferry, and Antietam. Free. Books will be available for purchase and signing. September 17 at 7:00pm. 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA.

Temperance Tour. Peck will lead the Temperance Tour of Prohibition-related sites on Washington, DC on September 30 from 12 - 3:00pm through WalkingTown DC. The tour is FREE and open to the public, but you must first register. Happy hour follows!

DC Historical Studies Conference. Peck will speak about his research on the Potomac in a panel discussion about new Washington history books. He will also participate in the History Network and sign copies of The Potomac River. October 19 at 12:00pm.

Speakeasy Costume Ball. We’re turning Woodrow Wilson House into a speakeasy for one night. This is a fundraiser for Washington’s only presidential museum, a key site in Peck’s book, Prohibition in Washington, D.C. Sponsors include New Columbia Distillers (makers of Green Hat Gin, named after Congressional bootlegger George Cassiday). Enjoy cocktails, dancing and prizes for best costumes. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. October 25 at 7:00pm.

National Press Club Book Fair & Authors’ Night. Peck is making his third appearance at this fabulous book fair, one of the premier events in the country for authors. Dozens of authors will be on hand for you to meet and get your books signed - just in time for the holidays! Remember, signed books make great gifts....529 14th Street, NW in the National Press Club Building, 13th floor. November 13 from 5:30 - 8:00pm.

Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of Washington, DC (AOI). Peck will speak at the November 16 luncheon about his book The Potomac River. This will take place at Pier 7/Channel Inn at 11:30am.

Seneca Quarry Tour. Peck’s fourth book, The Smithsonian Castle & The Seneca Quarry, will be published in February 2013 (The History Press). He will lead his first formal tour on Saturday, November 24 at the Seneca quarry. This will start at 11am at the Seneca Aqueduct, located at the end of Riley’s Lock Road in Poolesville, MD. Free.