Elizabeth Jacob married Jean Jacob in December 1979 on a Sunday – because the French Market in Georgetown did not close on a Saturday during the busy holiday season! In her interview with Catherine Habanananda, Elizabeth and her daughter, Cathrina, describe the relationship of the Jacob brothers and their famous French Market. There were very few specialty food markets in Washington during the 1960s and 1970s and the French Market filled the void first in Chevy Chase and later in Georgetown on...

W.T. Weaver & Son was founded in 1889 by Jim Weaver’s grandfather. Originally selling farm equipment, the business evolved with the times into selling decorative bath and hardware pieces. Jim Weaver began working in the store as a child, now his own children work with him in the Wisconsin Avenue location. Throughout their many years in Georgetown, the Weaver family has witnessed a real sense of community in Georgetown, especially when their store burned to the ground in 1963. Customers and...

Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt moved to Georgetown after she married Archibald Roosevelt, Jr., grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, in 1950. While working at the Washington Post, Lucky wrote her first big magazine article for the Saturday Evening Post about remodeling their N Street home. Later appointed as the Chief of Protocol for the Reagan administration, Lucky hosted numerous heads of state, prominent musicians, and even President and Mrs. Reagan for luncheons and dinners (her guestbook is filled...

Georges Jacob and his family moved to the United States when he was almost 19 years old. While his father was working at the Chevy Chase Club, he met a man who was eager to help him open a butcher shop. In 1958 Georges’ father and four sons opened their French Market, which included not only a butcher shop but a wide array of French provisions. The location in three adjoining townhouses at 1628, 1630, and 1632 Wisconsin Avenue (painted in “bleu, blanc, rouge”) became a huge success. It was...

In an interview with Kevin Delany on May 6, 2011, Ruth Saxe tells the story of a young lady from Fergus Falls, Minnesota (population: 10,848) who comes to Washington and leaves her mark on the Peace Corps, Common Cause, and the CAG newsletter – while administering an awards program for almost 30 years that encourages young Americans to engage in socially-useful projects. Interview Date: Friday, May 6, 2011 Interviewer: Kevin Delany Kevin Delany: One more time. Now, make sure the... OK. Ruth...

Elizabeth Desan has lived in both the East and West villages of Georgetown. Two of her three children were born in DC so she has known the public school system and how it changed through the years. During her April 18th, 2011 interview with Ingrid Beach, Elizabeth compared life in the two villages and how they, too, changed during the forty-five years she has lived here. Interview Date: Monday, April 18, 2011 Interviewer: Ingrid Beach Ingrid Beach: It seems to be on, so I will introduce...

Cooby Greenway has had a relationship with Georgetown's East End during many different phases of her life: from living with her parents there as a child and early teen, staying there when back from boarding school and college, and beginning her career in Washington. Now she lives again in the East End of Georgetown. As an early environmental advocate, Ms. Greenway helped D.C. from being overrun by highways. She also assisted in the creation and launch of the Kennedy Center. Her love of...

In an April 18, 2011 interview with Constance Chatfield-Taylor, Mike Copperthite unveiled one of the greatest forgotten stories of Georgetown. His great-great-grandfather, Henry C. Copperthite, a farm boy from Connecticut, was stationed at Georgetown College during the Civil War. After returning to West Washington as a newlywed with his young wife, Johanna, they decided to settle and began a small baking shop called H. Copperthite Pie Baking Company at 1407 32nd Street Business boomed and soon...

Elizabeth Stevens moved from Shenandoah to Georgetown with her family when she was young. She attended the Potomac School and then went to boarding school. Her mother was active in starting the Kennedy Center -- especially their education and volunteer programs. Elizabeth lived on 29th and N Street prior to moving to her current home on Avon Lane. She and her husband raised three children in Georgetown all of whom attended schools here. Elizabeth’s fondest memories of Georgetown revolve around...

Interviewed on his birthday by Joyce Lowenstein, Billy Martin shared stories on how Martin’s Tavern was founded and has thrived throughout its almost eighty years of existence. The Tavern was founded by Martin’s great-grandfather who traveled to the United States from Ireland in the late 1890s. He purchased the property on the corner of Wisconsin and N Street in 1933 and transformed the building from a Greek delicatessen into the Tavern – it looks almost identical today as it did when it...