Leesburg history reinvented
The first settler of European descent to come to the area was Evander McIver Lee, who arrived in 1857. Some of Lee’s brothers came as well, and one of them, Calvin, is thought to have named the community, which incorporated in 1875. At the time, it was also named the Sumter County seat, but lost out to Tavares in 1887.
Early in the 20th century, watermelon production was a major industry in Leesburg, which held a Watermelon Festival in 1930 - the first of many annual festivals that went on for almost thirty years. However, production fell off, and watermelons grown elsewhere had to be imported for the final festival, in 1957.
The city was also home to the citrus industry, until major freezes in 1983 and 1985 led fruit growers to move their operations further south. With the loss of these agricultural industries, Leesburg gradually transformed into a city attractive to retirees, and to those who work in and near Orlando.
Many cities treasure their history to show how they’ve grown, and Leesburg does so through its Heritage Society. An active organization, the society operates a museum and often schedules events featuring guest speakers. Institutions like this can help people enjoy their visits by working with a flyer printing company to create descriptive sheets about the materials on hand.
Play ball!
Given Florida’s warm climate, it’s not surprising sports teams come to the Sunshine State to stay in practice. Leesburg has a long history with the “all-American pastime” baseball.
The Philadelphia Phillies conducted spring training at Cooke Field in Leesburg from 1922 to 1924 and played an exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals there in 1923. From 1937 until 1968, a number of minor league teams that were members of the Florida State League played in the Ballpark at Venetian Gardens, a venue built by the city in 1938. The Leesburg Lightning, which plays in the Florida Collegiate Summer League, has been playing in Leesburg since 2007.
Team managers have an opportunity to please fans by working with a poster or postcard printing company to create cards that can be bought as souvenirs. They can also work with a banner printing company to create Banners to decorate the park.
The great outdoors
In recent years, Leesburg has been the site of the Leesburg Bikefest. Started in 1997, the event now draws as many as a quarter-million participants each year. The bikes in question are motorcycles, not bicycles, and in addition to the machines, the festival features live music, vendors, stunt shows and more. Organizers of events like this can use Banners and poster printing to help participants find particular vendors.
If people tire of the excitement, they can visit the Venetian Gardens Park, where they can enjoy walks, swim, go boating, or simply enjoy the green space. The Gardens were built in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, making them historically important. Managers of attractions like this can work with brochure printers to create informative Booklets about the venue.
With so many things to do in Leesburg, visitors and residents alike are sure to enjoy themselves.Get a Free Quote for Booklets Get a Free Quote for Banners Get a Free Quote for Print