Occupying the most prominent site on the Georgetown Heights overlooking Georgetown, the Potomac River and Virginia is the Georgetown Branch Library. The library houses the Peabody Room, an archive devoted to the history of Georgetown. The archive was named after George Peabody, a wealthy merchant who donated funds for a library in 1875. The current library was built in 1935 on the site of the former Georgetown Reservoir. Its graceful Georgian Revival architecture is reminiscent of the prevailing style used in Georgetown during the 18th century.
Another fine example of Georgetown architecture is found at Dumbarton Oaks, at the corner of 32nd Street. This Federal-style house was built in 1800, and later purchased in 1933 by Ambassador and Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, great collectors, and music lovers. Igor Stravinsky composed his Dumbarton Oaks Concerto for their 30th wedding anniversary, In 1944 the music room was the site of the Dumbarton Oaks Conferences, which established the core principles embodied in the charter of the United Nations.
The Blisses, aided by noted landscape gardener Beatrix Ferrand, spent years perfecting the house and its extensive gardens. They gave the property and the world-class collections of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, as well as an endowed research library and connection, to Harvard
University Philip Johnson designed a gallery, a glass jewel-perfect example of modern architecture to house its Pre-Columbian collection.
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