By: Meilan Solly
1. During the War of 1812, important documents including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were stored in Leesburg when the British attacked Washington, D.C.
2. Money magazine listed Leesburg as #4 on its list of the 100 best small American towns. Leesburg earned a spot on the list because of its “proximity to plenty of good jobs, not just in government but also in defense contracting, consulting, and technology” and rich history.
3. Leesburg is named after the Lee family, which includes Robert E. Lee, the famed Confederate general. Its original name was George Town.
4. The estimated median household income of Leesburg residents in 2011 was $106, 647, which is 85% higher than the national average.
5. Marquis de Lafayatte, who aided George Washington during the Revolutionary War, visited Leesburg on his farewell tour.
6. Leesburg issued its own currency, known locally as “dog money” due to the image of a dog it featured, during the Civil War.
7. Several famous men and women called Leesburg home, including George Marshall, the 50th Secretary of State and creator of the Marshall Plan that helped re-build European economies and fight communism after World War II, and Arthur Godfrey, a radio and TV personality.
8. Frederick Douglass High School in Leesburg was the first true high school in the county. It opened its doors in 1941, but once Loudoun County Public Schools became desegregated, it was no longer used as a high school. Today Douglass School is an alternative school, and it also includes Douglass Community Center.
9. Leesburg is home to 21 entries on the National Register of Historic Places, including Morven Park, Oatlands Plantation, and Dodona Manor.
10. Loudoun County was the site of the Battle of Ball’s Bluff during the Civil War. In the battle, the Confederates defeated the Union army. Today, Ball’s Bluff Battlefield Regional Park in Leesburg preserves the site of the battle.
Thanks to the Town of Leesburg website, the Loudoun Museum website, and Money magazine website for information.
