Georgetown | District, Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Georgetown Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics Images Quizzes Guess the City by Its River Quiz Contents Geography & Travel Cities & Towns Cities & Towns C-G CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Georgetown-district-Washington-DC Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

• Official Site of Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Georgetown district, Washington, District of Columbia, United States Ask Anything Homework Help Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Jan. 22, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

Georgetown, section of the city of Washington, D.C., U.S., at the confluence of the Potomac River and Rock Creek, about 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of the national Capitol. Georgetown was settled late in the 17th century. It was laid out as a town in 1751, under the name of George. With construction of the Potomac Canal and the town’s incorporation as the city of George Town in 1789, it became a bustling trade centre. In 1871 it was merged into the District of Columbia, and in 1878 it was annexed to the city of Washington. Georgetown is largely residential, and its streets are old-fashioned, well shaded, and narrow. In the “Heights” section are Georgetown University (1789) and many fine homes with beautiful gardens. Legislation was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1950 to preserve the character of the section, to be known as Old Georgetown, which was later designated a national historic district.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica