May Contact Breakfast
Thursday, 05/22/2008 7:15 a.m.
Central Florida Health Alliance
Leesburg Community Building
“Saturday Night Live at Leesburg” with “Celebrity Host” Lee Huntley
May Business After Hours
Thursday, 05/15/2008
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Black Saloon
1850 East Hwy 441, Leesburg
!
Evander Lee, the town's namesake, arrived in
1857, looking for a better climate to pamper his rheumatism,
and found bald eagles, Florida panthers and lots of fish. Even
back then, Lee recognized the area's strengths: its temperate
winters, extensive waterways and picturesque countryside. In
short order, a small community of homesteaders incorporated
into a small town.
Prior to 1867, boats could not navigate the Oklawaha
river, the main water artery to Leesburg and connecting point
to the Atlantic. But once settlers opened the waterway to traffic,
Leesburg gained a link to the outside world. Suddenly, supplies
came in and agricultural products shipped out. Since early town
folk relied on farming for sustenance, Col. H. L. Hart developed
a steamer line that transported the first tourists to Leesburg
and the other towns nestled along the banks of the Oklawaha.
Shortly thereafter, the town became the county seat of what
was then Sumter County.
Mote-Morris House
(1892)
In the next 20 years, Leesburg added
a church, schools, newspaper, government buildings, and even
an opera house. When Sumter and Orange Counties split, Leesburg
found itself located in the heart of the newly formed Lake County,
along with its sister towns that developed at the same time.
Eustis' early families planted orange groves. Tavares got
its name from Lopez Paray Tavares, a Portuguese ancestor of
the city's founder, Major Alexander St. Clair-Abrams, who
settled the city in 1880. Mount Dora received its official
name, changed from Royellou. It took its name from the lake,
and indirectly from the Drawdy's, who first settled the land.
Lady Lake started small in 1884 and, unlike its sister communities,
stayed small until recently. Primarily a retirement destination,
the town had only 335 residents as recently as 1960. In recent
years, it has grown to over 20,000 due in large measure to
The Villages, a massive retirement community located primarily
in Lady Lake. The Villages now extends into Sumter and Marion
counties as well.
Visitors and newcomers to Leesburg are often surprised
to find that Lake County's largest city has a downtown area
that is a treat to the eye, a value for the shopper, and a delightful
outing for all.
Leesburg is picturesque - most of the downtown
structures were erected during three commercial buildings
booms. The first was in the 1870's; the second in the 1920's
and the third in the mid-1950's. While the interiors of these
buildings have been renovated and modernized over the years,
the original facades capture the essence of the eras in which
they were built.
On a typical day, downtown Leesburg has plenty of free parking,
easy access to businesses, park benches for a rest between
shops, attractive trees, and flowering plants fronting wide
sidewalks. Unlike many downtown's that now resemble ghost
towns, downtown Leesburg is filled with thriving stores and
businesses.
The district has restaurants, theater's, clothing stores,
antique shops, computer and electronic suppliers, processional
and medical offices, a fine library, book dealers, service
providers, and gymnasiums.
The Leesburg Partnership also hosts many festivals
public events and festivals throughout the year, including Oktoberfest,
Trick or Treat, Main Street Christmas House and Holiday Craft
Bazaar, Main Street Christmas Stroll, Mardi Gras, Fourth of
July, and many more. For these events, the town closes Main
Street to through traffic, so that thousands of visitors, many
from throughout Florida, can enjoy safe and unencumbered access.
Named a Florida Main Street City in 1994, the Downtown Business
Association and City of Leesburg, along with the Chamber of
Commerce, formed the Leesburg Partnership in a united effort
to preserve the town's heritage. The Leesburg Partnership
is a 501(c) 3 organization formed to assist in the revitalization
of historic downtown Leesburg, More than 150 downtown businesses
are partners with the city and state government in the redevelopment
effort. For more information call (352)356-0053.
