Housing the Georgetown Neighborhood History Special Collections:

• Vertical files on most Georgetown residential and commercial addresses containing historical information such as chain of title, assessment records, newspaper/periodical clippings in which address was featured, photographs, and miscellaneous ephemera.
• Vertical files covering hundreds of Georgetown subjects from ABC Board to Zoning.
• Georgetown photograph collection arranged by subject and street name.
• Georgetown plat books and maps.
• Biography and genealogy vertical files and many Georgetown residents and families.
• Books and journal articles either about Georgetown or authored by Georgetown residents.
• Historic and current Georgetown neighborhood newspapers in microfilm or print format.
• Collection of 19th-20th century objects owned by former Georgetown residents.
• Art Collection depicting various Georgetown residents and places.
• Georgetown postcard collection. 

George Peabody (b.1795 - d. 1869), famed financier and philanthropist, left his mark and some money here in Georgetown DC. As young volunteer in the War of 1812, he served on the banks of the Potomac, and decided, after the War, to settle in Georgetown. In 1819, he went into what proved to be a successful mercantile business with Elisha Riggs. At the time of Riggs’ retirement, branches were in existence throughout the eastern United State. In 1837, Peabody moved to London and established himself there as a merchant and exchange broker. This venture later became J.P. Morgan and Company. Peabody amassed a fortune on both sides of the Atlantic . When he made his charitable bequests, he remembered all the places where he had lived.

In 1867, George Peabody gave a sum of money in trust as a fund for a public library to "benefit the citizens of Georgetown in the District of Columbia.

"The trustees of his estate first invested the money and, after realizing a profit, established the Peabody Library Association. This collection was first housed in the old Curtis School when that building opened in 1876 on O Street across from St. John’s church.

The Library Association moved to its present location in the Georgetown Regional Neighborhood Library when that building was completed in 1935. Before this move, the Peabody Library was operated as a subscription library, which required a paid membership in order to borrow materials. After its move to the Georgetown Regional Neighborhood Library, the collection became known as the Peabody Room. Modeled after the Washingtoniana Division of the main branch of the DC Public Library, it became a non-circulating reference and research collection. In 1979 the Peabody Trustees turned the collection and trust over to the DC Public Library with the proviso that the collection remain intact and in Georgetown.

The Peabody Room presently houses a special collection of current and retrospective materials that relate specifically to Georgetown, its history, culture and economy. The collection contains information about local houses with chain of title, assessment records and other pertinent information; and local residents in both text and non-text formats. There are plats, maps, vertical clippings files, local newspapers, photos and engravings that depict various aspects of Georgetown life and history. There is also a collection of published books and journal articles either about Georgetown or by Georgetown residents.

As a regional reference collection with an extensive database of local history, the Peabody Room serves a wide variety of patrons. People come with questions about homes, genealogy, buildings, landmarks, historic people, local events, and social history.

Jerry A. McCoy is the Peabody Room librarian and archivist and may be reached at (202) 727-2271 or jerry.mccoy@dc.gov.  Due to the devastating fire of April 30, 2007, which heavily damaged the Georgetown Branch Library, the surviving (90%) of the Peabody Room’s archival materials are being processed and assessed for water damage. Materials will be made available at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library’s Washingtoniana Division throughout 2008.

If you would like to make a donation to the Peabody Room Restoration Fund, or would like to “adopt” a damaged Peabody Room work of art, book, or piece of original 1935 reading room furniture to have restored, please contact the District of Columbia Public Library Foundation, Anna Velazco, Executive Director, (202) 727-4943 or avelazco@dcplfoundation.org. To donate online visit DCPL Foundation.

Working to Preserve the History of Georgetown

For more information on local history in the District of Columbia, visit the Washingtoniana Division & Washington Star Collectionat the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.