Street Level: Volta Place

The next stop on my Street Level tour of D.C. is Volta Place in Georgetown.  Volta Place is a narrow, quaint street just above the hustle and bustle of the Georgetown business district.  It runs three blocks in Northwest D.C., from Wisconsin Avenue to 35th Street, dead-ending at the Georgetown Visitation School.  The street is positively charming, lined with narrow red-brick town houses and overflowing flower pots.  It's a short stroll, but a very pleasant one.

Volta Place used to be known as Fourth Street, back when Georgetown was separate from the City of Washington.  In 1871, a single government was created for the entire District of Columbia, but it wasn't until 1895 that the streets of Georgetown were renamed to match the naming convention (letters, numbers, and states) used elsewhere. 

An interesting fact about Volta Park, which is located about midway down Volta Place, is that the park once served as a cemetery for Revolutionary War soldiers.  (The bodies were moved when the park was built.)  Today it's a place to toss a frisbee and swim in one of the city's few public pools. 

On Your Mark, Get Set . . . Volta Place

Sometimes inspiration strikes in the strangest places.  Back in February, I was lined up at the start of the Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon in St. Petersburg, Florida, wishing that I had dressed for the 34-degree temperatures (seriously, Florida in February?  I was expecting IDEAL running weather) when I noticed a woman just ahead of me wearing an awesome purple, white, and yellow running jacket.  I was struck by the unexpected color combination, and I practically warmed myself up thinking about how I could design a sweater with those same colors. 

Fast forward (some might say "slow forward") five months, and here is the Volta Place sweater!  I love the colors just as much as I did that cold morning in Florida. I think they're both sporty and surprising, and I adore the two little pockets in the front, as well as the slightly mismatched sleeves.

The fabulous pictures are courtesy of Stephanie Cotta Photography.  Stephanie is an immensely talented and (based on her Facebook page) highly prolific photographer in St. Louis.  Check out her website, where you'll find--among other treasures--the most gorgeous newborn pictures!   Thanks to Stephanie for sharing her skills with YHK.