Washington, D.C., District of Columbia story
A Cinematic Staircase
In the heart of Georgetown, there's a set of seventy-five stone steps that feel like they belong in a horror movie. That's because they do. Built in 1895 during the city's cable-c…
Read the story
In the heart of Georgetown, there's a set of seventy-five stone steps that feel like they belong in a horror movie. That's because they do. Built in 1895 during the city's cable-car era, these stairs became legendary after appearing in the 1973 film The Exorcist.
During filming in 1972, the steps were actually padded with foam to protect the stunt performer. Today, they're an official tourist site, complete with a commemorative plaque unveiled by Mayor Muriel Bowser. While they now serve as a handy pedestrian shortcut between Prospect Street and Canal Road, you can still feel that cinematic chill as you climb toward the nearby MacNeil house.
Updated June 2026