The Georgetown Metropolitan

This week for Now and a Long Time Ago, GM stays on M St. but heads east from last week. The subject of today is 3210 M St.

Currently this property hosts BCBG Maxazari, a pricey women’s store. But it’s had quite an illustrious history. It was built in 1796 to house the Bank of Columbia. Among the banks shareholders was none other than George Washington himself, who served as a director of the bank. The bank only stayed at this location until 1806. From 1807 to 1822 the federal Bureau of Indian Trade was housed in the building.

Most interesting for Georgetowners, the building served as town hall for Georgetown from 1822 till 1871, when the city’s charter was revoked by Congress.

The tall doors are a giveaway to how this building was used next. From 1883 till 1940, it was used as a station for Fire Company No. 5. In 1940 the company was merged into another company and the property was abandoned. It was used as a garage for DC’s sanitation department at least into the 1960s.

All this information plus the old photo (which dates from 1966) comes from the Library of Congress. Continue reading →