The school opened near Georgetown College because its fourth President, Father Leonard Neale, S.J., (later Bishop and Archbishop) co-founded the Academy and Convent.

"[5] Rome recognized the Georgetown Visitation Order in 1816; on May 24, 1828, the Sisters were incorporated by Congress, an act signed by President John Quincy Adams, who, a few months later, handed out awards at the commencement exercises.

Primary sources tell of manumissions, self-emancipations, and the freeing of all people whom Visitation enslaved with the District of Columbia Emancipation Act on April 16, 1862.

Modern facilities are located side-by-side with historic buildings boasting a myriad of architectural styles, ranging from Victorian to Neo-Gothic.

With these changes came a more progressive attitude and understanding of religious topics, such as diversity, equity, and inclusivity, which mirrored the evolving priorities of the Washington Diocese.

[citation needed] In 1850, John H. Hewitt wrote the Grand Promenade March and dedicated it to the "Sisters of the Academy of Visitation, Georgetown.