Georgetown DC: History and Elegance

Georgetown is a beautiful neighborhood of DC - and one in which Movoto can find you the perfect home. It is a neighborhood of beautiful townhouses and tree-lined streets, many of them still cobbled. In fact, Georgetown predates the development of DC as a city. It was founded in 1751, at which time it was in the Province of Maryland, and it existed because it was the highest navigable point of the Potomac. Before that, a Nacotchtank village called Tohoga existed on the site. The George of Georgetown may come from George II of Great Britain, as it was founded during his reign, but it might more likely relate to the town's founders, Mr. Gordon and Mr. Be all, both of whom happened to have the first name George. Although no longer a separate city (its last remaining local ordinances were repealed in 1895), Georgetown DC retains its character and its own downtown along Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. It is well known as a place for fine dining and boutique shopping - restaurants include the famous 1789 and Martin's Tavern. All cuisines can be found in the neighborhood. The old C&O canal still runs through Georgetown and is open water at this point - during the summer, it's possible to cruise the canal on a mule drawn barge, and the canal towpath provides a pleasant walk, jog, or cycle. Rock Creek Park Trail also leads away from the Georgetown waterfront, and all the way north into DC's famous Rock Creek Park. Residents can also enjoy kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding on the Potomac. In the winter, Georgetown Waterfront Park has an outdoor skating rink. During the summer there are also free outdoor fitness classes and promotions in the park, although in DC's hot summers, playing on the water itself might be more appealing. Book Hill, on the 1600 block of Wisconsin Avenue, is home to the Georgetown Galleries and the Georgetown library - part of DC's excellent library system. Around the galleries cluster local antique shops - so you can get fine art or beautiful antiques to highlight your new Georgetown DC home. Or check out Cady's Alley - an industrial building that now contains fashion and home furnishing boutiques. Georgetown University, the oldest Catholic university in the United States, is within walking distance of the business district. George Washington University is in nearby Foggy Bottom. This gives residents easy access to two quality teaching hospitals and also to public lectures held at the universities. Georgetown has some high quality private schools From Foggy Bottom, residents have access to DC's Metro system, which can easily take you to the Capital Mall, the Smithsonian, the White House and, of course, to Union Station and Reagan National Airport. (Dulles International Airport currently requires a short trip by shuttle bus, but Metro's Silver Line will reach the airport once Phase 2 is completed). There is no Metro station in Georgetown proper, for geological reasons, but the DC Circulator and other buses can also take residents downtown. So, Georgetown DC is convenient to travel through the wider DC area, the east coast and the world beyond - that, of course, is assuming you actually want to leave.

Given that thousands of people go into Georgetown DC every evening to enjoy the nightlife, those fortunate enough to live there may only want to leave to go to work. Georgetown has a movie theater, boat tours, numerous late opening restaurants and the Georgetown Piano Bar for live music. Besides, living in Georgetown puts you in a neighborhood that has held the rich and famous for decades. Dumbarton House and its surrounding grounds, Dumbarton Oaks, perfectly highlights the historic beauty unique to Georgetown - it was once home to Vice President John C. Calhoun and is where the United Nations charter was originally outlined in 1944. Zoning laws have somewhat restricted high rise apartment buildings, which mostly exist only on the edge of Georgetown. This has helped to ensure the preservation of beautiful 18th and 19th century architecture, including the Old Stone House on M Street - the oldest surviving building in Washington DC. Numerous events might also serve to keep you close to home - Georgetown has a Dragonboat Race and a free outdoor movie series in the Waterfront Park in summer. The annual Taste of Georgetown festival has been running for 22 years and lets you sample more than 30 of the best restaurants in Georgetown - ideal if you are looking for a new favorite. Book Hill hosts the Georgetown French Market, in which local stores show off unique finds and, of course, special deals.

Georgetown DC is a place of history and elegance. Once away from the busy downtown, it is quieter than most of DC and retains something of a small town air, preserving a bit of the wealthy port city it once was before being absorbed into the wider city. With numerous parks and green spaces and few high rises, it feels like you are still in that refined past. Residences in Georgetown may face a beautiful street or even, if you are fortunate, the quiet of the canal. Architecturally distinct townhouses have a character seldom seen in more recent constructions, but elegant modern condominiums are also available. Georgetown is a place for the discerning to visit - or to live in. And it also gives easy access to the rest of this beautiful city, wherever you want to live, work or play.