The Georgetown Metropolitan

                                                           Photo by Marc Andre.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Georgetown Hospital angling for a new helipad.
• The (GU) kids are alright.

Montrose Park

This week on Now and a Long Time Ago, GM is traveling up to the northern edge of Georgetown for the long-running flea market.

The photo is care of Old Time DC (which apparently got it from the Burleith Citizens Association). The post says it’s from 1997, but it sure looks older than that to GM. It could be as old at 1972, the year the flea market was started.

Anyone have a guess based upon the cars?

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Independent shops in Georgetown join up to form “Georgetown Row”.
• Jackie Kennedy’s former home on N St. has slashed its price all the way down to a measly $9 million (from $10 million)

Montrose Park

The city recently started replacing some of the lightbulbs in the streetlights in Georgetown. And, in GM’s opinion at least, the new bulbs are way, way too bright and cast an ugly sterile blue light. Either way, you’ve got to get used to them because they’re getting installed everywhere.

If you want a taste of the new lights, head over to Volta Place at night. It’s part of a long contracting saga in which the city is replacing the bulbs with LED bulbs. They’re definitely more energy efficient than the old bulbs, but the light the produce is incredibly glaring. Continue reading →

Photo by Ehpien.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• There are signs up in the old Benetton confirming GM’s earlier reporting that a store called COS is moving in there.
• Georgetown students elect a popular sandwich to their student senate.

3200 block of Reservoir Rd.

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 →

Photo by Mike Maguire.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Big redevelopment planned for the old Holiday Inn hotel just north of Georgetown.
• Canal, circa 1910.