Georgetown Historic Waterfront

The Old Stone House stands out as the oldest unchanged building in Washington, built from locally quarried blue granite in seventeen sixty-five. Christopher Layman, a cabinetmaker, constructed the home on M Street, using it as both his…

The C and O Canal Lock three is identified by the heavy, iron-strapped wooden gates that block the stone-walled channel. This lock lifted canal boats eight feet upward, allowing them to bypass the rocky rapids of the Potomac River. In…

The sharp, white-painted wooden spire of Grace Episcopal Church rises above the brick rowhouses of Georgetown. Built in eighteen sixty-six, the church served a congregation of freed African Americans who had previously worshipped in the…

The Vigilant Firehouse sports a distinct, wide arched doorway that originally accommodated horse-drawn wagons. Built in eighteen eighty-three, this brick station served the Vigilant Fire Company, one of the volunteer groups that protected…

The three story brick building on the corner of M and Congress Street features a heavy wooden door framed by white shutters. Built in seventeen ninety-six, this structure served as a social anchor for early Georgetown residents. During the…

The low stone walls along the Potomac River mark the edge of Georgetown Waterfront Park. For decades, this stretch of land held industrial warehouses, coal piles, and abandoned railyards that cut off the neighborhood from the water. In the…