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Georgetown was founded in 1751 by the Maryland legislature; but in fact the first house had been built twenty years earlier. Undoubtedly "founding" happened because the residents wanted some legal authority for their actions. This was 25 years before independence was declared and 40 years before the establishment of the District of Columbia and the concurrent founding of the town of Washington (DC). Early life here was centered around the shipping of tobacco and in general, river traffic. By 1791 work had already started further west on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal; it wasn't too many years until the canal builders, working east, reached Georgetown and the Potomac. But, just about the time the C&O canal was finished, a parallel railroad, started many years later, was also completed. The railroad, here as elsewhere, meant economic death for the canal.

Fast forward many years; it is post-World War II and post Eisenhower Era. Jack Kennedy has been elected president, but has been living in a very posh townhouse in Georgetown. While already a prestige address, the association with the new president gives it added fame. The riverfront industrial life continues its downward trend and the gentrification of the entire area continues on and on. It helps that Washington's recession-proof mandarins need a place to live, that the new Kennedy Center is within walking distance (for people like us, anyway). Then the C&O canal is resued and made into a National Park.(Things have gone so far that today Kennedy relatively small house might go for $2 million. Another, until recently the home of another senator, is now on the market for $4 million. Five doors away, there is a modest house that the owners tell us is probably worth $800 thousand.)

C & O Canal, Georgetown

That, more or less, and with a lot of simplifications, is how we found Georgetown when we moved in. Now let us take you for the five minute walk from the center of town at M Street and Wisconsin, where we get on and off the bus, to our temporary home in Papermill Court.

In just two minutes you walk by the Shops at Georgetown Park, a modern multi-storey indoor shopping mall, housed in a former factory. On a snowy day, the bridge railing will be covered with snow, and the C&O canal, just below will hardly be recognizable.

C & O Canal, Georgetown

But if you imagine away the snow, or wait a week, and look over the railing you'll see the stone bridge that carries Wisconsin Avenue. Down below is the canal, drained for the winter. In summer it will be filled with water and merry makers traffic. If you have a mind for a short walk, follow the tow path east for about a mile and you'll reach the Potomac almost at the Kennedy Center. If you want a longer walk try going the other way; in about 90 miles, following the Potomac rather closely all the way, you'll be at Harper's Ferry, site of John Brown's raid and a Civil War battle.

Town houses

Cross the bridge and take a diagonal through a court yard and turn right onto Grace Street. On your right is another restored brick building; once a warehouse, once a Conran's Store, it is now offices. Go down about 50 m, and turn left onto Cecil. You're nearly there. This is how all visitors arrive; if you were a resident and driving in you'd have come the other way, because Grace is one-way, and gone into the basement garage.

Once on Cecil street you really get an idea of what old (and old restored) Georgetown looked like. Mostly three story brick houses, built shoulder to shoulder. There are lots and lots of streets like this; later, if you have the energy, enjoy walking north from M street along Potomac or 33rd or 34th.

If you peer through the bare tree, or if it's summer, and you get close enough, you'll see a street sign, white letters on green background, pointing right to Papermill court. Just opposite you'll find a short flight of stairs. Come on up; As you get to the top just look forward. We're around the corner*.

Near Papermill Court

Papermill Court