Mary Fishback

Leesburg (Va) (Images of America) Mary Fishback

Once serving as the capital of the United States for three days, the town of Leesburg, Virginia stands at the crossroads of American history. As a rural hinterland of the Washington, D. C. area and situated on the northern fringe of the old Confederacy, Leesburg has seen troops and generals, travelers and settlers, and politicians and presidents walk its streets, and opposing political views tear its population apart. Unity and patriotism returned and characterized the town during the world wars. With the arrival of nearby Dulles International Airport in the 1960s, Leesburg and its surrounding towns experienced a different kind of movement-tremendous population growth.

Today, Leesburg is a vital and fast-paced part of Northern Virginia's economy. Yet, despite its modern edge, the town has maintained its old rural character and has striven to preserve its colorful 245-year-old history.