Be an Explorer in DC Neighborbood Georgetown, Washington D.C., USA

The slogan for DC neighborhood Georgetown is “A Story in Every Brick. ” You better believe it! It is not certain who was “George” in George Town. Naturally it is presumed to be George Washington but Georgetown’s founding preceded George’s nomination as our first U.S. president. It could have been named for King George or the two men named George who sold land. (George Beall and George Gordon owned the 60-acre tract.) Georgetown actually preceded the creation of the nation’s capital as it was formally established in 1751 when the Maryland Assembly authorized a town on the Potomac River. This convoluted tale perfectly describes the 268-year history of this town perched on the Potomac that presidents, poets and muckracking journalists* have called it home.

Georgetown is a bee hive of streets running parallel to M Street and crisscrossing Wisconsin Avenue; multi-storied rowhouses dressed in pink, yellow, blue and green doors, with Disneyesque landings festooned with flowering pots. But this is no made-for-TV stage front. Georgetown architecture dates back to the 16th century. A particular thrill is to stumble on a “half” street. Slum housing that was condemned in 1935 as a result of the Alley Clearing Act have been redeveloped with bakeries, shops and bars. There is even a cat cafe in Georgetown (although it is currently closed due to the pandemic.) Georgetown is defined by its cross formation-Wisconsin Avenue crosses M Street, which are the two primary arteries which flow through the cobblestone city. It is also the noose that hangs many drivers who get caught in the infernal traffic jams that bedevil the city (especially during weekends). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).