If you are interested in this lectures series without a tour, click here.
Our D.C. lunchtime lecture series continues with Georgetown, a unique neighborhood that predates the establishment of the federal district and Washington City by 40 years. Founded in 1751 on 60 acres along the Potomac River in the province of Maryland, Georgetown was the farthest point upstream still navigable for oceangoing boats. After the establishment of the federal capital, Georgetown became an independent municipal government within the District of Columbia.
Georgetown is bounded by the Potomac River on the south, Rock Creek to the east, Burleith and Glover Park to the north, with Georgetown University on its west end. Much of Georgetown is surrounded by parkland and green space that serve as buffers from development in adjacent neighborhoods.
Sept. 27 Old Stone House
Built in 1765, the house is the oldest structure on its original foundation in Washington, D.C. It was originally preserved thanks to a possible association with George Washington. It was the site of a car dealership when it was purchased by the federal government in 1953 and the National Park Service opened it to the public in 1960. The house is a rare example of pre-Revolutionary architecture. The speaker is Jeff Reardon, National Park Ranger at Old Stone House.
Oct. 4 Oak Hill Cemetery
Established by an act of Congress in 1849, Oak Hill is one of the nation’s finest examples of garden cemeteries. Along with wooded trails and gardens, Oak Hill is home to a Gothic Revival chapel designed by James Renwick; the Van Ness Mausoleum designed by George Hadfield; and the dramatic “Heron” fountain. It is the final resting place of many famous Washingtonians, including Edwin Stanton, Philip Barton Key, W.W. Corcoran, and Myrtilla Miner. The speaker is Dave Jackson, superintendent of Oak Hill Cemetery.
Oct. 11 Dumbarton Oaks Gardens
When Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss bought this 53-acre property in 1920, it was described as “an old-fashioned house standing in rather neglected grounds” at the highest point of Georgetown. Landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand was hired to design the gardens and she worked with Mildred Bliss, planning every garden detail, each terrace, bench, urn, and border.
The Blisses gave the upper 16 acres to Harvard University in 1940 to establish a research institute for Byzantine studies, pre-Columbian studies, and studies in the history of gardens and landscape architecture. They gave 27 acres to the federal government to be made into a public park and the remainder was sold to build the Danish Embassy. Presenter James Carder is archivist and house collection manager at Dumbarton Oaks.
Oct. 18 C&O Canal
By the 1820s, the silt-choked Potomac River was not navigable up to Georgetown. Construction of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal began in July 1828, to link Georgetown to Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). Never profitable as a mode of transportation, it proved to be an economic boost for Georgetown. In the 1820s and 1830s, Georgetown was an important shipping center as tobacco, coal, lumber and agricultural products floated down the C&O to market.
Today, the C&O Canal National Historical Park is the ninth most-visited site within the National Park System, with more visitors annually than signature parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite, or the Grand Canyon. The C&O Canal Trust works in partnership with the C&O Canal National Historical Park to support maintenance and visitor programs. Speaker Patricia Barber is director of development, C&O Canal Trust.
Oct. 25 Tudor Place
With an inheritance from George Washington, Thomas and Martha Custis Peter purchased 8 1/2 acres of farmland on Georgetown Heights. William Thornton, architect of the first U.S. Capitol and a family friend, designed the grand neoclassical house, which was completed in 1816.
The estate remained under continuous Peter family ownership through six generations spanning 178 years, its rooms a destination for leading politicians, military leaders, and dignitaries. The site was opened to the public in 1983 in accordance with family wishes. Now a historic house and garden museum, it remains one of the nation’s few historic urban estates retaining the majority of its original landscape. Speaker Grant Quertermous is curator of collections at Tudor Place.
Nov. 1 Peabody Room, Georgetown Library
The Peabody Room houses the D.C. Public Library’s special collections of Georgetown neighborhood history. Established with an 1867 grant from wealthy Georgetown merchant George Peabody, the library was meant to “benefit the citizens of Georgetown and the District of Columbia.” In 1979, the Peabody Trustees turned the collection over to the library, with the proviso that it remain both intact and in Georgetown. Presenter Jerry McCoy is the special collections librarian in the Peabody Room of the Georgetown Library.
Nov. 5 Historic Georgetown Bus Tour
On a special bus tour, visit all six Georgetown sites highlighted from the lecture series. A boxed lunch in Montrose Park is included; the tour returns to the Holiday Inn Capitol Hill at its conclusion. The tour includes walking through diverse terrain. Please wear appropriate shoes and comfortable clothing. Large bags are not allowed in some of the historical sites.
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by bus from the Holiday Inn Capitol Hill, 550 C Street S.W. (L’Enfant Plaza Metro)
Full lecture series, 6 sessions plus bus tour
Picture above: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal in Georgetown
