Category Archives: Uncategorized

This week on Georgetown Time Machine, GM visits Herring Hill, the traditionally African American quarter of east Georgetown. The photo comes from the collection of Charles W. Cushman, held at the Indiana University archives. (And thank you to the fantastic Old Time DC group for locating it).

The photo is marked as being on 28th St., but it’s actually on 27th St. The homes look quite a bit different now:

The photo was taken September 24, 1940. According to the 1940 Census, the home at the center, the one with the woman standing in the doorway, was occupied by the Washington family:

It’s possible that the woman in the doorway is Josephine Washington, the head of the household. She lived there with her mother, brother and sister, and also her three sons, a niece, a cousin and a boarder. She was 27 years old. Continue reading →

Photo by Streets of Washington.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Tom Sietsema likes Wolfgang Puck’s new restaurant.
• Great profile of ANC Commissioner Lisa Palmer.

1400 block of 28th st.

The city has been providing free rides on the Circulator bus lines since February as part of the Mayor’s “Fair Shot” initiative. Georgetowners have been the (perhaps unintended) beneficiaries of this free ride, but the free ride is about to end: the buses will go back to charging again on October 1st.

The mayor wanted to keep the free rides going indefinitely, but the Council voted to strip funding for that plan in the spring. The Council’s logic is fairly easy to understand: the Circulator buses disproportionately travel through well-off neighborhoods. The riders from those neighborhoods (e.g. Georgetowners)–not to mention tourists–don’t need to be getting free rides while normal Metrobuses still charge full fare.

There are probably a lot more worthy places for the city to throw its money at in order to increase transit ridership. (Like more dedicated bus lanes for one thing). So despite an effort by the mayor’s toady on the Council, the funding is unlikely to be reinstated.

Enjoy one last week of free Circulator rides, and get that Metrocard ready for October 1st.

Photo by M01229.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Georgetown once again left off Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list for 2020. (GM missed that Das is on the list, as it was last year.)
• But Simply Banh Mi made the Post’s list for best banh mi sandwiches in the area.

3000 block of N St.

A reader gave GM a tip that a new cocktail car appears to be taking over the former Unum space at 2917 M St. The new bar is named L’Annexe.

This would suggest that it’s an “annex” of another space, like possibly the vacant space next door, the former Maxime restaurant (and former, former Guards restaurant). But that space doesn’t look like it’s about to open soon.

There’s almost nothing on the internet about L’Annexe, but the tipster did find a job listing for the bar describing it: Continue reading →

Photo by John Weiss.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• O St. home listed for $8 mil finds buyer.
• The Weavers might operate another hardware store in the new building on Prospect St.

Potomac River

It’s that time of year again, when people start to wonder what the hell are those giant grain brain-shaped fruit around Georgetown. As in past years, GM is ready with the answer, as reprinted below:

This time a year, if you wonder around Montrose or Volta Parks you’re bound to find on the ground weird softball-sized green fruit like the one above. People are often so struck by the sight of the fruit, they pick up one or two of them and bring them home. But what are they, you ask?

Despite their green color, they’re oranges. Osage oranges, to be specific. They are grown by Osage trees, which line the Parrot rope walk. These trees are prevalent in the Great Plains states, where they are often planted along hedgerows. Traditionally, the pliable but strong nature of this tree’s wood made it valuable for fence posts and archery bows. Continue reading →