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 There is a lot of excitement in Leesburg this year because 2007 marks the Sesquicentennial Celebration of the founding of Leesburg. The history books tell us that in 1849, Arthur Lee of Alabama brought his family to a forested area near Adamsville in Sumter County. In 1857, Arthur’s brother, Evander Lee, brought his five sons and three daughters to the area that would become Leesburg followed by Evander’s brother, Josiah, and a third brother Calvin in 1863. In those days roads were made of clay and 80 acres of land could be purchased for a whopping $750!
The story goes that when Calvin Lee (who opened the first store) was on a buying trip to New York, the suppliers asked for a shipping address, so he told them to ship the supplies by way of Silver Springs to “Leesburg”. (The “h” was dropped when the city obtained a post office.
To celebrate this 150-year anniversary, Leesburg Partnership, City of Leesburg, and the Leesburg Center for the Arts are working on scheduling a long list of events throughout the year. Here are just a few that have been schedule:
- Saturday Morning Farmers Market – October through April 21, 2007
- Prayer Breakfast – January – Leesburg Opera House
- “Squeeze” Art Exhibit – February – Leesburg Center for the Arts
- Annual Mardi Gras “Party in the Street” – February
- Fine Arts Festival – March – Downtown Leesburg
- 11th Annual Spring Fish Fry – April – Historic Mote Morris House
- Historical Hike in Leesburg – Conducted by noted historian Steve Radjer
As the year progresses, more activities and events are being planned to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lake County’s largest city.
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