Georgetown street renaming

Map of Georgetown from 1899, showing old street names

The Georgetown street renaming occurred as a result of an 1895 act of the United States Congress that ended even the nominal independence of Georgetown from Washington, D.C. The Act required, inter alia, that the street names in Georgetown be changed to conform to the street naming system in use in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. However, the old street names were shown on maps as late as 1899.^[1]

The lists below set forth the old and new names of Georgetown's streets.^[2] Because most east–west streets are not continuous across Wisconsin Avenue, separate lists are provided for those east–west streets that are north of M Street and either east or west of Wisconsin Avenue.^[3]

North–south streets, east to west

Old name	New name
North Street	26th Street[4]
Monroe Street	27th Street[4][5]
Montgomery Street	28th Street[4]
Greene Street	29th Street[4]
Washington Street	30th Street[4]
Jefferson Street	Thomas Jefferson Street
Congress Street	31st Street
Valley Street	32nd Street
High Street	Wisconsin Avenue
Potomac Street	not renamed
Market Street	33rd Street
Frederick Street	34th Street
Fayette Street	35th Street
Lingan Street	36th Street
Warren Street	37th Street

East–west streets, south to north

M Street and south

Old name	New name
Water Street	K Street east of 33rd Street; west of 33rd Street, the United States Postal Service recognizes both street names in addresses.
Grace Street	not renamed
Bridge Street	M Street

North of M Street

Old name, east of Wisconsin Avenue	Old name, west of Wisconsin Avenue	New name
Olive Street	Prospect Street	not renamed
Gay Street	First Street	N Street
Dunbarton Street	—	spelling changed slightly to Dumbarton Street
Beall Street	Second Street	O Street
West Street	Third Street	P Street
—	Fourth Street	Volta Place
Stoddert (or Stoddard) Street	Fifth Street	Q Street
—	Sixth Street	Dent Place
—	Seventh Street	Reservoir Road
Road Street	Eighth Street	R Street

References

1. Tindall, William (1907). Origin and government of the District of Columbia. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 27.
2. Taggart, Hugh Thomas (1908). Old Georgetown. Lancaster, Pa.: Press of the New Era Print. Co.
3. "Is it Dumbarton St. or Avenue?". The Georgetown Metropolitan. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
4. "Letter from Washington". The Baltimore Sun. February 17, 1874. p. 4.
5. Monroe Street had also been known as Rock Street and Mill Street