Georgetown
Located on the Potomac River, Georgetown was originally founded as a port town in 1751. At the time, it was still a part of Maryland since Washington, D.C. had not been established yet. Today, DC’s oldest neighborhood is at once high profile and low key and is home to quite a few landmarks and other historic sites. Highlights include the C&O Canal as well as the Old Stone House and the Volta Bureau, two of the longest standing unmodified buildings in DC.
Its main drag, M Street, is home to an assortment of bars and restaurants and retailers ranging from national chains to independently owned boutiques. The neighborhood is also known for being home to several embassies, and of course, Georgetown University.
This prestigious university is the United State’s oldest Jesuit university, dating back to 1789. Ranked among the foremost academic and research institutions in the world, it is particularly known for its Law Center and School of Medicine and counts numerous heads of state, politicians, justices, and diplomats among its alumni.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Georgetown is also a National Historic Landmark District and is probably home to DC’s largest concentration of pre-20th century buildings. For those in the market for vintage rowhouses, this is definitely the place to be. Here, architectural styles range from Georgian to Second Empire to Queen Anne and Richardson Romanesque.