Last week I discovered that the canal in Georgetown isn’t called the “Georgetown Canal,” as I just blindly assumed it was. During the day I deliver passports to various consulates around the district, including the consulates of South Sudan and Venezuela on 31st street and 30th, respectively. The last few locks (large basins that compensate for the varying altitudes of the canal) span the southern side of Georgetown, between M street and Whitehurst Freeway NW. Following the length of the canal is the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath, which at one point allowed mules and horses to pull vessels up the canal. The last couple miles of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal winds through Georgetown, but the canal originates in Cumberland, Maryland and snakes its way along the Potomac for 185 miles.
(Video is open source from Wikipedia Commons)
Along the canal in Georgetown are a number of upscale shops and dining establishments. Two of my favorites are Moby Dick’s, a restaurant that sells affordable Persian Food, and Baked & Wired, a café with excellent drip coffee and sweets. Near the 4th lock, just next to the bridge on 30th street, there are a couple of platforms that one can perch on for a nap when the weather is nice. I also noticed a few Koi fish in one of the pools the last time I was in the area.
The C&O canal, like Georgetown, is steeped in history. It is also a short walk from our DC Inn. I’ll post soon about a shortcut to Georgetown through the Dumbarton Oaks Trail! Check out the canal next time you’re in D.C.!
Marcos, Innkeeper at American Guest House, a Washington DC Bed and Breakfast Inn
