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As we celebrate Veterans Day, GM wants to revisit a famous veteran from Georgetown’s past: Stubby.

As the Smithsonian explains:

Stubby the dog, known to many as “Sgt. Stubby”…was the mascot of the 102 Infantry 26th Yankee Division in World War I. He showed up at training camp one day on the grounds of Yale University, and was such a hit with the soldiers that he was allowed to stay (he would drill with them, and even learned to salute). When it was time to ship off for Europe, Stubby went along for the ride to Newport News, Virginia, and was smuggled by Private J. Robert Conroy aboard the SS Minnesota. Upon discovery by Conroy’s Commanding Officer, the story goes, Stubby saluted him, and the CO was so impressed he allowed Stubby to remain with the troops. Stubby took to soldiering quite well, joining the men in the trenches. He was gassed once, and wounded by shrapnel another time, and once he disappeared for a while, only to resurface with the French forces who returned him to his unit. Stubby even captured a Hun (that’s WWI slang for a German soldier)!

After the war, Stubby’s caretaker enrolled at Georgetown University. Stubby, already a celebrity, became the mascot for the Hoyas. Stubby passed away in 1926 and was the subject of multiple newspaper obituaries. He was stuffed and eventually donated to the Smithsonian, where you can see him today, draped in about a dozen medals.

In the photo above, Stubby is being inspected by none other than the great Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing.

So here’s to Stubby, the original Georgetown bulldog.

Photo by Vincent.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Quarters of the workers enslaved by Georgetown University may have been found.
• Speaking of GU, it racked up the highest representation in President Elect Biden’s transition team.

Dumbarton Oaks Park

Two dynamics appear to be converging to make parking in Georgetown more frustrating than ever. And we may be stuck with them until the pandemic finally passes.

First, think back to the days of spring and early summer. With so many people escaping to other locations, and nobody coming to shop or work in Georgetown, the streets were almost entirely empty. GM’s own block would typically have no more than six cars on it. Most other blocks felt similar.

But as activity has returned to Georgetown, the daily influx of cars has returned. In fact it is probably even worse, given that so many people are avoiding public transit. The lack of parking enforcement (more on that below) has also likely contributed to more people driving. On top of this larger influx is the fact that many Georgetowners who would normally drive to work, and simply staying at home. Demand for street parking may be higher now than it has ever been.

One thing you may have also noticed (and GM certainly has) is a huge spike in out-of-state cars parking literally for days without moving and without being ticketed. This is actually a result of a policy decision by the Department of Public Works, which gives out tickets. As described by ANC Commissioner Kishan Putta at the last Commission meeting, the agency has determined that it has such a backlog of tickets to adjudicate that it can’t add more to the system right now. So drivers working or visiting Georgetown can basically park all day with little fear of ticketing right now. Continue reading →

Photo by Vincent.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• More on the troubling situation on Water St.
• Dumbarton House is offering a virtual Kennedy-themed walking tour on Nov. 22nd. (Interesting to see how different industries adapt to this online world!)

Montrose Park

The streets were filled with honking and cheering Saturday afternoon as word of the election results spread: Joe Biden will be our next president.

And for most people, that is all they need to know about the election results. But if you’re curious how the local races turned out, and how Georgetown voted in both the local and national elections, read on.

Unsurprisingly, Joe Biden won the most votes for president from Georgetown. He won Precincts 5 (east Georgetown) and 6 (west Georgetown) with 84% of the vote. That’s below his citywide tally of 93%, reflecting the higher Republican presence in the neighborhood. Trump won 13% of the vote. Do what you will with the fact that there are, in the year of the Lord 2020, nearly 600 Trump voters in Georgetown. Continue reading →

Photo by Vincent.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The late-night situation on Water St. is getting out of control and something must be done: A man was shot to death there Friday night.
• The Taste and Shop of Georgetown continues!  Support our local shops! (Correction: the Taste and Shop of Georgetown ended, but you should still support our shops!)

Dumbarton Oaks Park

DCRA has finally taken steps to create a regulatory regime for Airbnb rentals. The proposed rulemaking is in line with the aggressive legislation passed by the DC Council in 2018. Both the law and the proposed rule are opposed strongly by the company, and some homeowners, but are likely welcome by those living near Airbnb properties and, of course, the currently beleaguered hotel industry.

GM has been covering the issue of Airbnb in Georgetown since 2014. Many of the listings–which quickly grew to dozens around the neighborhood–were almost certainly illegal. That is because, while Airbnb originally sold itself as a service for homeowners to welcome guests into their home, the primary use of the platform was for homeowners (and investors) to rent out whole properties. To do that requires a business license, and the zoning rules for Georgetown did not permit homeowners to do so without a variance. Continue reading →