D.C. '11: Georgetown

We visited Georgetown in the afternoon the same day we visited the National Cathedral.  We did not visit the university - just took a quick walk through the neighborhood, had some lunch, and went to the dock for a sightseeing boat cruise.  There is far too much to see in Georgetown to try to fit it into a couple short afternoon hours, especially on a hot and humid summer's day.

Our first stop was Tudor Place.  Taken from the website:

"Tudor Place was built by Martha Washington's granddaughter, Martha Custis Peter, and her husband, Thomas Peter, son of a successful Scottish tobacco merchant. In 1805, Thomas Peter purchased the land comprising a city lot in Georgetown Heights with an $8,000 legacy from Martha Custis Peter's step-grandfather, George Washington. The Peters asked Dr. William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol, to design the stately neoclassical house with its circular domed portico and expansive gardens. Completed in 1816, Tudor Place remained under the ownership of six succeeding generations of the Peter family until 1983. 

Following the death of its last owner, Armistead Peter 3rd, the historic site opened to the public in 1988 under the stewardship of the Tudor Place Foundation. Tudor Place brings to life the cultural and social history of over 180 years of the Peter family.

The Peter family witnessed the birth and growth of the capital, playing active roles in government, business and society. The family entertained the Marquis de Lafayette, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and others who shaped America's history."

Front entry gate.

Front facade of the house.

If my parents and I formed a band, this would be our album cover.

A patio for tea.

No photos were allowed inside, and most of the pictures I took there were rubbish anyway, so all of the above photos were all taken by Loren.

Georgetown has some very interesting art and architecture strewn about, as well as sites frequented by famous residents such as the Kennedys.

Thought this was one giant castle at first - actually two matching houses.

Random art... it matches the red door.

Christ Episcopal Church: "Christ Church was organized in 1817 as the fourth Episcopal congregation in the portion of the District of Columbia ceded by Maryland. At that time the District of Columbia also included territory ceded by Virginia. Christ Church broke away from Saint John's Church in Georgetown whose Rector's inclinations did not match the stronger evangelical ardor of most of his congregation, including Francis Scott Key."

We then did one of my favorite vacation activities: combined history with meal time.

Martin's Tavern: frequented by presidents & other famous Washingtonites.

Est. 1933, and has gained itself lots of history since.

The booth in which we sat was once Richard Nixon's favorite booth.

The booth behind us was the booth in which JFK proposed to Jackie (taken by Loren).

Dessert was delicious.

Charming tavern.

We then went down to Georgetown's Washington Harbour and took a sightseeing cruise up and down the Potomac.  It was nice to just sit back and enjoy the water as sights drifted past us, after all the aggressive sightseeing we'd already accomplished and still had planned.

The view looking back at Georgetown after the boat left the dock - you can even see the National Cathedral in the distance.

Watergate Hotel - I don't need to tell you why that's famous.

The original "water gate" after which the hotel is named.

Kennedy Performing Arts Center on the left, Roosevelt Island (currently a nature reserve) on the right.

Lincoln & Washington memorials.

Loren and I with the Washington Monument in the background.

Washington Monument, Smithsonian Castle, waterway to the Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial.

Jefferson Memorial.

Some sort of memorial on the bank.

Capitol Building.

We were directly under the flight path, every 90 seconds or so a plane would go overhead.

After the cruise we decided to walk around the memorials on the Mall, but that's a topic for another post.