To qualify for this cache answer the following questions:
1. Do the grains of the sandstone appear to be uniform, or do the grains show a variety of different sized granual pebbles?
2. Does this indicate that the grains that formed the Fairfax Stone traveled further from the source sediments?
3.Take a picture of you or a geocaching item with the old/obilisk Fairfax Stone.
Fairfax Stone Historical Monument State Park is nestled in the Allegheny Highlands, a region of folded and faulted Paleozoic sedimentary rocks that form the rugged terrain. The bedrock in this mountainous region of the Allegheny Highlands is part of the ancient Appalachain system, formed from sedimentary layers, with weathering and erosion creating the landscape where the Potomac begins its journey. The current Fairfax Stone that marks the source of the Potomac River is the sixth stone to sit in this spot. The original 1776 stone was lost sometime prior to 1910. Atleast two other stones was used by locals as target practice and had pieces picked up by souvenir hunters. This current stone weighs six tons and was installed in 1957, the year this State Park was opened. It is a native Sedimentary rock, which is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized silicate grains, cemented together by another mineral. These grains are the remnants of several ancient mountain chains that have since been eroded. Sandstone features a distinctive, granular texture with visible, cemented sand grains. It generally feels gritty and resembles coarse sandpaper. The grains of sand in sandstone have been reduced to their sand size through weathering, and they are transported and deposited via water, or wind actions. Sandstone may contain larger sized grains, such as granules, but the rock would still be classified as sandstone if the primary component is sand-sized grains. The time and distance these sand grains have traveled will vary. If the sand is deposited near its source, the composition of the sandstone will more closely match the composition of the source rock. The longer the distance the sand grains have traveled will likely give the sandstone a more varying composition.