Mapping Georgetown: Recollections of a Georgetown Alleyway
By • August 23, 2021 0 1063
What is it about an alley? The common intrigue of this urban passageway sets our stage for today.
We recently received this charming personal account for our Mapping Georgetown project from Neville Waters, a dear neighbor to all. Neville is the personality that makes ‘stoop talk’ in Georgetown so special.
He’s a 6th generation Georgetowner with more stories about his heritage to follow. Of Neville’s multitude of community interests, he’s the President of the Board of Directors of the Mt. Zion-Female Union Band Cemetery – featured here as 2018 Georgetowners of the Year in The Georgetowner: https://georgetowner.com/articles/2018/12/19/2018-georgetowners-year/.
What did Neville recall about growing up next to his favorite Georgetown alleyway?
“The Alley behind my house ran parallel to P & Q Streets with only a single entrance/exit on 27th Street dead-ending at my best friend’s house which was exactly 3 houses from mine (2729 P. St). The alley was our world before we were old enough to cross the streets to Rose Park. The alley was a football and baseball field, a basketball court, and a play area for hide-n-seek. The alley was host to cookouts and carnivals. The alley was a safe place for me and my best friend. So, it’s quite understandable that when my best friend moved 2 blocks to 28th & O Streets, we cried crocodile tears together for our lost sanctuary.”
We thank Neville for so graciously contributing to this Mapping Georgetown community effort — for Georgetown, by Georgetowners. He has certainly enriched my understanding of the legends of Georgetown and we hope he inspires all to share theirs.
If you’re interested in contributing to the Mapping Georgetown project or finding out more, go to https://mappinggeorgetown.com/. For a profile of Marilyn Butler and a background on the project, see https://georgetowner.com/articles/2021/07/19/marilyn-butlers-vision-for-mapping-georgetown/.
