Leesburg, Florida
| Leesburg, Florida | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| City of Leesburg | |
Leesburg City Hall
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| Motto: "The Lakefront City" | |
 Location in Lake County and the state of Florida |
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| Coordinates: 28°48′38″N 81°53′0″W / 28.81056°N 81.88333°WCoordinates: 28°48′38″N 81°53′0″W / 28.81056°N 81.88333°W | |
| Country |  United States of America |
| State |
 Florida
|
| County |
 Lake
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| Government | |
| • City Manager | Al Miner |
| • Deputy City Manager | Michael Rankin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 24.5 sq mi (63.3 km2) |
| • Land | 18.7 sq mi (48.3 km2) |
| • Water | 5.8 sq mi (15 km2) |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 19,086 |
| • Density | 651.3/sq mi (252.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 34748, 34788 |
| Area code(s) | 352 |
| FIPS code | 12-39875 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0285440 |
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 19,086. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. Leesburg is the home of Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) with campuses also in Clermont, Florida and Sumterville. It is also the home of Beacon College.
Leesburg was first settled in 1857 by Evander McIver Lee. Several of Evander Lee's brothers followed him to the area. One of these brothers, Calvin Lee, was credited with giving the town its name.
The city of Leesburg was first incorporated in 1875, and was the county seat of Sumter County for a time until Lake County was formed in 1887.
In the early 20th century, Leesburg was an important center for watermelon production. In 1930, Leesburg held its first Watermelon Festival, an annual tradition that would last until watermelon production in the area dwindled to the point that watermelons for the last festival in 1957 had to be brought in from outside the area.
In 1938, the WPA began work on the Venetian Gardens waterside park, on the shores of Lake Harris. The canals and gardens of this park have been a centerpiece of the community ever since.
Lake Square Mall, now known as ViaPort, the city's major shopping mall, opened in 1980.
On March 19, 1982, Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist Randy Rhoads, as well as the band's cook and bus driver, were killed in a plane crash at Flying Baron Estates.
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