Georgetown Time Machine: Peck Memorial Chapel

Last week it was reported that Eastbanc was finally moving ahead with its long planned residential building at the intersection of Pennsylvania and M (where the Sandlot outdoor bar is now). I thought that was a good opportunity to dig back into this lots history with a Georgetown Time Machine.

Above is a photo from the DC Historical Society. It shows the Boys Club of Washington DC as it stood in the late 40s. Of course, the building itself was not originally constructed for the Boys Club. It was clearly a church. Specifically it was the Peck Memorial Chapel of the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant (which later evolved into the National Presbyterian Church).

It was constructed in 1886 and used by the parish until 1938. At that point the building was sold to the Rotary Club, which used it to house the Boys Club until the late 40s when the Boys Club bought the land that later became Jelleff. Although the club sold the land to the city in 2009, it continues to operate the facilities (which are about to get a complete renovation).

The chapel build was demolished in 1951. A Lord Baltimore gas station was constructed in its place. This eventually was purchased by Eastbanc and itself demolished in 2018.

Here are few more photos of the chapel before it was demolished:

An aerial shot from the 40s.

Here is a mash-up of a view of the chapel with the modern day. Prior to the chapel being demolished, there was already a Lord Baltimore service station next door. The whole lot was replaced by a larger (award winning) Lord Baltimore station following the chapel’s demolition:

This was the building torn down in 2018.