About Historic Georgetown
Is Georgetown named for George Washington?
While Georgetown is located in Washington, DC, it's not named for the father of the country, President George Washington. As a matter of fact, historians aren't sure who the neighborhood is named after.
Although Georgetown may not be named for George Washington, our first president loved the area so much that he established the Nation's Capital across from Georgetown on the other side of Rock Creek.
Georgetown's Vibrant History
After city planner Pierre Charles L'Enfant laid out the city, people built grand, stately homes north of Georgetown. Closer to town, builders began to fill the gridded city blocks with the Federal-style houses and row houses for which Georgetown is now so famous.
One of the most famous homes is Dumbarton Oaks, now a museum. Dumbarton Oaks is renowned for its Byzantine art collection and its exquisite gardens.
In the 1830s, work began on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, a waterway that parallels the Potomac River between Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland. This 184-mile canal was intended for transporting coal to Washington, DC, but could not compete with the railroad.
The C&O Canal was fortunately and eventually made a national historic park—and the beginning of this lovely park is located next door to Georgetown Suites.
To learn more about Georgetown's vibrant history, check into Historic Tours of America. Historic Tours of America offers trolley travel through Washington on a continuous loop. You can get off at any stop, stay as long as you want, and just catch the next trolley. It's a fun way to see the city.