The Georgetown Metropolitan

Today for Now and a Long Time Ago, GM visits 34th and M St. The old photo comes courtesy of the fantastic Old Time DC group.

There are some great reveals in the old photo, which is probably from no later than the mid 1950s. First of all the most obvious thing is the streetcar. The destination sign indicates that it is heading to Rosslyn (a route that was abandoned in the 1950s.)

Looking closer you can see the great patterns of cobblestone pavers that M St. used to have (and may still have underneath the asphalt). The streetcar traveled in a paved lane (which seems backwards). There is a streetcar stop you can see in the lower left of the photo. It was basically just a raised median that passengers would stand on and wait for the streetcars. Continue reading →

Photo by Alan Kotok.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• One of the ancestors of the slaves sold by Georgetown University is an employee of the school.
• Looking back at how Georgetown looked back to celebrate its bicentennial.

Dumbarton Oaks

Photo by Amy the Nurse.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Something called “Georgetown Allure” is apparently coming to the space that previously hosted the Pinkberry. It seems to be a makeup shop.
• The COS store, which is taking over the former Benetton space, is opening today.

3100 block of R St.

GM was jogging home from work along P St. from Dupont last night when he encountered one of the most dangerous stretches he passes through each time he travels home this way: the crosswalk across the on-ramp to Rock Creek Parkway. Every single time he crosses here he feels that his and his fellow pedestrians’ lives are in danger from speeding cars (who are typically only speeding for another 100 yards before they just get stuck in more traffic). It doesn’t have to be this way.

If you’re not familiar with this crossing, it’s the crossing on the north side of P St. immediately east of the P St. Bridge between Georgetown and Dupont. While there is a marked crosswalk and it is right next to a signalized crosswalk, it itself does not have a cross signal. According to the law, drivers must yield to pedestrians. Continue reading →

Photo by Josh.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Jackie Kennedy’s former mansion was sold.
• Got bball skills and a couple years of college eligibility left? Here’s your chance!

1600 block of 31st St.

GM was asked yesterday whether he takes photo submissions. And the answer is yes! Several people have submitted photos over the years, and GM is happy to publish them. So you can send them to Editor@georgetownmetropolitan.com or, better yet, you can post them to Flickr and simply make sure to include the word “Georgetown” in the description or title of the photo. That is where GM gets most of his morning posting photos. (If you do email them, make sure to include whether and how you would like to be credited for the photo.)

One other tip: given the layout of the page, landscape or square photos work a lot better than portrait photos. That’s for sending them in!

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Apparently the Shop House is likely to replaced by a chain Korean restaurant. (But you’d be better eating Korean at Zannchi, in GM’s opinion).
• Ah man, somebody robbed a Girl Scout. Boooo.