The Georgetown Metropolitan

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Today on Now and a Long Time Ago, GM stops by one of the more unusual buildings on Wisconsin Ave.: 1335 Wisconsin Ave., or what many still think of as Au Pied de Cochon.

According to the Historical American Building Survey, this structure was constructed around 1890. Interestingly, the survey came to this conclusion based upon a 1960 interview with George Scheele from the Georgetowner. Scheele stated that he believed that the first business to occupy the new building was Robert Weaver who ran a meat market.

From then until 1928, the building hosted a series of grocers. After remaining vacant through 1929, Payne’s Millinery opened. It only lasted three years though. By 1934, the space was a restaurant, and has remained as such ever since.

From 1939 till 1954, the restaurant on this spot was called Connor’s Grill. By the time of the photo above, however, Le Hi Grill had moved in.

In 1976, Pied de Cochon moved in. Ghosts of DC ran a nice history of this historic restaurant last winter, including how it hosting the famous “un-defection” of Vitaly Yurchencko in 1985.

Pied de Cochon sadly closed its doors forever in 2004. Despite the unfortunate current tenant, Five Guys, much of the character of the building is in tact. Hopefully someday Five Guys will shuffle off and a better option will move in.

Finally, GM would like to point out the stark difference in tree cover on Dumbarton. In 1966 there was a tall line of trees. Now there’s hardly anything.