Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour (Images of America) [Paperback]

Thomas J. Carrier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 1999

The area now known as Georgetown was once a central meeting place for nearly 40 Native American tribes situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Potomac River. It was inevitable that the very rivers that served these native people would attract the first European settlers to the region, settlers who established Georgetown as a bustling port and key commercial center. In 1791, George Washington fixed the small community's enduring importance by including it in the plans for the new Federal City. Taking you down cobblestone streets, Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour includes local sites associated with such historic figures as John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy, Alexander Graham Bell, Francis Scott Key, and Victorian novelist E.D.E.N. Southworth. Enjoy the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century charms of Georgetown's architecture as you visit private homes, businesses, and social establishments. Climb the stairs on which the climatic scene of William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist took place!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A longtime tour guide and author of Washington, D.C.: A Historical Walking Tour, Thomas J. Carrier has compiled a fascinating variety of images that tell the story of Georgetown from its earliest days as a small tobacco port to its modern-day status of the most fashionable neighborhood in America's capital city. This pictorial tour will be your guide on an entertaining and educational journey where the history of our nation can be found at nearly every turn.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (October 17, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738502391
• ISBN-13: 978-0738502397
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #798,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tom Carrier has had an interest in American history ever since insisting on holding an American flag for a family portrait at about 7 years old. Born in Cleveland in 1956, he moved to Washington, DC in 1982 shortly after leaving the U.S. Army as an 82nd Airborne paratrooper. Working and living among the national capital provided a unique background to create an in depth series of walking tours that focused not only what was obvious, but also helping others to experience the history that lay undiscovered.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For history buffs, July 1, 2006

By 

Thomas Bowne (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour (Images of America) (Paperback)

This book is not for the casual tourist looking for a walking tour, but history buffs and Georgetown afficionados it is a treasure trove of historic photos, with long, informative captions. You'll find noteworthy places here that the Blue Guide (for example) skips, such as a former tavern where Jefferson and Lafayette dined.

4.0 out of 5 stars Look Up!, November 7, 2008

By 

Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour (Images of America) (Paperback)

With its trendy shops, countless bars and restaurants, university, old homes, waterfront, and endless vibrancy and motion, Georgetown is one of the most visited areas of Washington, D.C. Georgetown began as a port town of Maryland in 1751. It was included as part of the District of Columbia in 1791 but did not become part of Washington City until 1871. The boundaries of Georgetown are, roughly, the Potomac River on the South, N Street on the North, 30th Street on the East, and 34th on the West. The center of Georgetown is the famous intersection of Wisconsin Avenue (running north-south) and M Street (running east to west). Georgetown is a small but dense area.

The traffic and difficulty of parking in Georgetown make it an ideal place to see by walking. Thomas Carrier's book "Historic Georgetown: A Walking Tour" (1999) offers not one but seven tours of different part of Georgetown, each of which, according to Carrier, requires between 1.5 and 2 hours to complete. More that mapping out the tours, Carrier offers 128 pages of photographs detailing the varied history of Georgetown. Carrier is a licensed D.C. tour guide, and his book is part of the "Images of America" series of local American history in photographs.

Each of Carrier's seven tours begins with a map of the area and a brief introduction, followed by pages of photographs and Carrier's informed, chatty commentary. The book offers a welter of detailed information together with Carrier's excellent advice to "look up" to see what may be seen as one walks. Carrier's tours begin with the historic waterfront, much changed from Georgetown's years as a lively port. He offers several photographs of the old C&O Canal, among much else. The next tour is of Southwest Georgetown, above Wisconsin Avenue. I enjoyed the photographs of the old streetcar facilities together with the many old churches and large homes of famous people. The third tour is of Georgetown University, founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789 "for students of "every Religious Profession." Georgetown is a cosmopolitan, highly regarded University that gives character and depth to the area and to the Washington D.C. area.

Carrier's tour of Northwest Georgetown offers intriguing views of African American history. Washington D.C. was historically segregated, with the Georgetown wealth and culture standing literally next door to impoverished African Americans. The photographs in this tour of African American alley life (pp. 74-75) offer a picture of Georgetown's history that is too frequently overlooked. Carrier's next tour, of North Georgetown, consists of only three sites, Dumbarton Oaks, Montrose Park, and the Oak Hill Cemetery. But there is much to see, for example in the secluded walking trail known as Lovers Lane that runs through Montrose Park. (p. 89)

The tour of Northeast Georgetown features old row homes, bridges and streetcars, and museums. One of the most interesting parts of this area is the old Mount Zion Cemetery on Q Street. (p. 105) This is an old burial grounds for free blacks and a former stop on the Underground Railroad. In 1975, the Cemetery was preserved from demolition when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an important monument to African American life in the Nation's Capitol. Carrier's final tour is of Southeast Georgetown which is back in the commercial heart of the area. Jacqueline Kennedy owned a home in this area following the assassination of President Kennedy. (p. 119) The most famous landmark of many in this area is the Old Stone House at 30th and M Street, (p. 124) which is the oldest building in Washington, D.C. It was acquired by the National Park Service in 1950 and is open to the public for tours.

I have lived in Washington D.C. for many years and Carrier's book showed me much of Georgetown that I didn't know. This book is a detailed, loving guide to an important area of our nation's capitol.

Robin Friedman