The Georgetown Metropolitan

1000 block of 31st St.

As noted by the great Old Time D.C., the even greater Polly Shackleton was born 106 years ago on Monday. Shackleton was a Georgetowner and long term councilmember from Ward Three.

If you don’t know DC political history, it might come as a surprise that Georgetown was in Ward Three. It was. Most of it was transferred to Ward Two after the 1980 census. But not all of it was transferred. And that’s the story of the “Shackleton Sliver”. But that geographic oddity came about with a background of dramatic change for Ward Two. Due to the rezoning, it became majority white, and hasn’t looked back since. 

Shackleton Goes to Washington

Polly Shackleton, a Brookline, Massachusetts native, got into politics during the FDR era, working on his third presidential campaign. Later she got involved in the leadership of the Democratic party. 

Maintaining that participation through to the late 60s, Shackleton was one of the appointees to the newly created unelected DC Council in 1967. The appointed position became an elected position with Home Rule in 1972, and she won the first election for Ward Three in 1974. She was reelected in 1978.

The Shackleton Sliver

When the 1980 Decennial Census was completed in 1980, it found that Ward Three (which was at that time essentially what it is today, plus Burleith and Georgetown) had grown the most since 1970. When a ward grows faster than the others, it generally has to geographically shrink after the next census. And that’s just what the legislators set out to do.

Ultimately the plan that was proposed moved the shaded part of the map above (i.e. most of Georgetown) from Ward Three to Ward Two. But one little part was left out. And that little part just happened to contain Polly Shackleton’s house on Reservoir St., between 32nd and Wisconsin Ave. This enabled Shackleton to continue representing Ward Three, even though most of the neighborhood around her house had been transferred to her colleague, John Wilson’s, ward.

This was obviously not a coincidence, and the press reports of the time don’t even pretend that it was anything but a naked favor to Shackleton from Council Chair Arrington Dixon. Yet it still faced opposition, by none other than Shackleton herself, but also many others. Continue reading →

Photo by Lauren Rauk.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• The last party for Yolande Fox.
• Speaking of losses, Frida Burling passed away last month at 100.

The Key Bridge

Rents, probably.

GM just noticed this, but the Subway at M and Potomac is closed. Apparently it’s been closed for several weeks. The Georgetowner previously reported that the restaurant was going to move across the street into the old Capitol Prague space. Continue reading →

Photo by Lauren Rauk.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Five great places to get a drink in Georgetown that aren’t GM’s living room.
• Not Georgetown-specific, but nice piece on the challenges of keeping the street tree population strong.

3000 block of Dumbarton St.

Photo by Jacquesofalltrades.

Last Tuesday was primary voting day for DC. Turnout across the city was fairly low at 21%, but it was even worse in Georgetown. Only 16% of Georgetowners eligible to vote in the primaries (i.e. Democrats, Republicans, or Statehood Greens) voted. Perhaps it was because the Democratic primary was already settled and Jack Evans ran unopposed, but that’s a pretty bad turnout.

Either way, here’s how Georgetown voted:

Democratic Presidential Primary:

Georgetown was not feeling the Bern. It voted 895 to 234 for Hillary Clinton. There were eleven write-in votes and two for whoever “Rocky” Roque De La Fuente is. Continue reading →

Photo by Jinjian Liang.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s the latest:

• Some other impressions of the BID’s ParasolShare.
• Building that formerly housed Nandeau Furniture, Rugby, and Houston’s was sold.

C&O Canal