The Georgetown Metropolitan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/katrinaebowman/4873302753/in/photolist-8qCX8g-MadXC-24Dfk3p-7P2SCB-23WCkAR-fDf7X2-23WCknz-4YNcAT-772buD-fDwFLW-fDf7R4-fAfhHr-5384tk-fDwFJ3-2etsnQU-3iyhU8-2dai6Na-23WCmkr-fztBYy-53842a-5hbgMi-2etsnJS-a92FHT-fwX5q1-7LGtdb-akD8N7-8hQ8zj-3gvywa-oqiPF-2ey3cFH-4YNcBn-85JbTB-23WBY8a-2etsnZ1-fztC2b-fAuAtY-fDPmTX-4DTQss-NoJeE-2dai6SD-brKsWK-9TLK3i-5h3VVe-eR9kH8-9FMjqZ-DojFj-aTVeWX-9FQeGo-ckF2n7-fE6hNy

The ANC meets for its April session tonight at its usual bat time (6:30) and its usual bat channel (this zoom link). The agenda is mostly humdrum, but there are a few exceptions.

The first is a liquor license request from the Potomac Tiki Club. Specifically it’s a request for a marine vessel license. What it will be is a floating bar, but like some of those rolling bars you may have seen in tourist towns like Nashville, the bar patrons will be pedaling the boat. The boat will be based out of the Washington Harbour complex, and–like those rolling Nashville bars–will likely be super annoying to be around. Or maybe not, who knows. (Edit: Turns out this isn’t a peddle boat. It’s just a floating bar, which still sounds like it might get loud and annoying to other river-users…)

The second interesting presentation will come from Chris Martin, who is a principal at Martin-Diamond properties. He will be there to discuss his company’s plans for their properties in Georgetown. Those most notably include several buildings that were formerly among the cheap suit row of properties. As GM has previously mentioned, these will soon have a trendy French bakery and a bubble tea joint. It will be interesting to hear what else they have planned.

Here is the rest of the agenda:

Continue reading →

At the turn of the 20th century, a smelling, decrepit and shameful scene lingered in Georgetown: the old Presbyterian Burying Ground. And for Georgetown Time Machine, GM will take a closer look at it by way of an article from 1902 in the Washington Times.

Rather than try to tell the whole story of the old cemetery, GM will mostly direct you to the surprisingly extensive Wikipedia article about it instead. But in short: the burying ground was built in 1802 by the Georgetown Presbyterian Church on the site of the current Volta Park. At the time the church was located at what is now 30th and M, which had its own graveyard, but that soon filled up:

As described in Wikipedia:

Presbyterian Burying Ground was laid out simply, similar to most cemeteries of the day. The cemetery had two gravel paths, lined with fir trees, one which bisected the grounds east–west and another which extended from 4th Street north to the center of the block.^[14][15][16] The main entrance was in the east on Market Street.^[17]Black locust trees were planted about the grounds.^[17] A winding, somewhat circular path occupied the intersection of the two fir-lined gravel walkways.^[14] No other footpaths were laid out, however, and access to most graves, vaults, and mausoleums were via informal dirt ruts in the lawn. Vandals and children were kept out by a high wooden fence.

The land was donated by the wealthy Beatty family on the condition it always be used as a cemetery (that became an issue later). A chapel was constructed on Market St. on the east side of the grounds in 1855:

But by second half of the 19th century, the burying ground was in steep decline. It accepted its last burying in 1887, and then, lacking the income from new burials, its finances spiraled. In 1891 the cemetery was closed. Descendants of loved ones were asked to remove the remains by the end of the year. Any remaining bodies would be interred in a mass grave elsewhere. Notwithstanding this deadline, most of the bodies remained and disinterments occurred spottily throughout the 1890s.

In the meantime what was left was a field of smelling, open graves, toppled gravestones and crumbling vaults. By 1900 it also became a dump for Georgetown residents.

Continue reading →

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Apparently Tatte bakery is coming to the old Frye store building (i.e. the Vigilant Fire House)
• French Market coming back at the end of April

Mamam, a French bakery with locations in NYC, is opening a location in Georgetown on Wisconsin Ave. The bakery will be opening at 1353 Wisconsin Ave.

The bakery also features a cafe specializing in Provençal cuisine. And, according to Washingtonian, it leans heavily into the Instagram chic decor intended to attract patrons as much for the selfie backdrop as for its salad Niçoise. Like that other NYC import, Levain, Mamam’s cookies are supposedly pretty good. So there’s that at least.

Continue reading →

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• In a somewhat troubling omen, GU’s covid numbers are spiking up again.
• Dead body found in the canal.

Please join us for an Earth Day worth celebrating with a neighborhood clean-up and scavenger hunt, presentations by The Georgetown Garden Club, who will be sharing information about native species, and Trees for Georgetown will be sharing information on climate change.

Casey & Co will be selling annuals, perennials, herbs, and mulch. Little ones will have a chance to ‘Make and Take’ a flower pot and plant some seeds.

Bring your own plant for a plant swap!

There will be food from the Georgetown Grilling Society and live music. Everyone is welcome!

Come out to change the world!

Click here to register.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Nice profile on self-professed alley kid, Raya Kenney.
• More mundane traffic violence from a driver with a string of speeding tickets.