A Guide to the Leesburg Architectural Surveys, 1971-2001 Leesburg Architectural Surveys M 016

A Guide to the Leesburg Architectural Surveys, 1971-2001

A Collection in the
Thomas Balch Library
Collection Number M 016


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Thomas Balch Library

Thomas Balch Library
208 West Market Street
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
USA
Phone: (703) 737-7195
Fax: (703) 737-7195
Email: balchlib@leesburgva.gov
URL: http://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/thomas-balch-library/

© 2006 By Thomas Balch Library. All rights reserved.

Processed by: Teckla H. Cox

Repository
Thomas Balch Library
Collection number
M 016
Title
Leesburg Architectural Surveys 1971 - 2001
Size
9 cu. ft.
Creator
Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development
Language
English
Abstract
composite of six architectural surveys of the Town of Leesburg prepared for Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development.

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Leesburg Architectural Surveys 1971-2002 (M 016), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, Virginia

Acquisition Information

Town of Leesburg, Department of Planning, Zoning and Development, Leesburg VA.

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2006.0018

Processing Information

Processed by Teckla H. Cox, 17 Feb 2006.

This is an artificially created collection; supporting information has been added and future survey forms will be added. Folders are filed by Virginia Department of Historic Resources numbers. Each folder may contain material from more than one survey. Check Vertical File Index for additional site information.

Historical Information

This collection is a composite of six architectural surveys of the Town of Leesburg prepared for Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development. The earliest, Original Architectural Survey of Leesburg Nicholas Minor Section, was prepared in 1971 by John G. Lewis and Calder Loth of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (then called Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission). In 1975 Hartzog, Lader & Richards prepared a survey of 625 sites, of which 16 have since been demolished. Additional surveys were done by HaAR in 1998, by GAI Consultants in 1999 and by EHT Traceries, Inc. in 2000. In 2002 EHT Traceries did a survey entitled Three Neighborhoods Abutting Leesburg's Old and Historic District. Funds were received from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources to perform the 1998-2002 surveys.

Except for the 2002 survey, the structures and sites surveyed are within the Old and Historic District. Leesburg is located at important north-south and east-west crossroads in the approximate center of Loudoun County. When Loudoun County separated from Fairfax County in 1757, the Town of Leesburg was established in 1758 and became the county seat. This brought growth to what had merely been a hamlet and it became a mercantile center of the agrarian community until the end of the 20th century. In 1971 the population of Leesburg was approximately 2000; at present (2006) the town has grown to over 30,000 people. By 1860 the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad connected it easily with Alexandria and Georgetown.

There are only a handful of pre-revolutionary buildings, but by the early 19th century the town began to grow much faster and new architectural styles appeared. The Old and Historic District was established by Leesburg in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1990 the district was expanded to the south and west. The Old and Historic District covered in these surveys has been preserved by the zoning overlay district which protects it by requiring any new construction, renovation, alteration, or demolition to be approved by the Board of Architectural Review which bases its decisions on adopted written guidelines and by reference to these surveys.

Building styles vary widely within the town and include residential and commercial structures of considerable elegance as well as modest buildings and outbuildings. The historic district and its environs remain primarily representative of the 19th and early 20th centuries but with some more modern buildings built to complement the existing residential and commercial structures.

Scope and Content

The collection includes 611 folders:

Phase 1 done by HaAR Historic and Architectural Resources contains 175 folders.
Phase 2 by GAI Consultants-VA of Richmond contains 215 folders.
Phase 3 by EHT Traceries contains 221 folders.
Earlier files are filed with Phases 1, 2, and 3. John Lewis' and Calder Loth's "Nicholas Minor Division" (1971) contains 12 detailed surveys in the file drawer plus a book showing 360 sites with photographs and brief paragraphs about each site (V REF 723 LEW).
The 1975 survey done by Hartzog, Lader & Richards covered blocks 11-32, and 34-37. However, neither of these surveys added to the total of 611 as they are filed with Phases 1, 2, and 3.
A 4th survey of sites outside the Old and Historic District but adjoining it, will be added to the collection. At present this survey, done by EHT Traceries may be accessed at the Department of Planning, Zoning & Development of the Town of Leesburg. It contains 71 files that are not included in the total of 611. There are also 16 files of structures that have been demolished since 1975. These are filed with the collection but in a separate section of drawer #3. The 1971 Lewis/Loth survey book documented 12 sites demolished before that date with photographs.

The files include Blocks 1 - 11, 13 - 19, 21 - 32, and 34 - 38 of Loudoun County tax map 48 A. It also includes a few buildings on tax map 48 that do not have block numbers.

Related Material

Additional information may be found in vertical file labeled "Historic Properties". Also see Architectural Survey of Leesburg Nicholas Minor Section by John G. Lewis and Calder Loth, V REF 723 LEW, and Exploring Leesburg: Guide to History and Architecture , V REF 975.528 SMI. Revision of the Leesburg Old & Historic District National Register Form & The Preparation of the Rock Spring Farm National Register Nomination , V REF 975.528 REV.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Cox, Teckla H., retired Loudoun County Planner.

Other Finding Aid

Available in printed format. There is no map for the 1971 survey; 1975 survey maps are located in the Town of Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development; 1998 - 1999 maps located in map case # 1; 2002 survey map located in Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development.


Other Finding Aid

Available in printed format. There is no map for the 1971 survey; 1975 survey maps are located in the Town of Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development; 1998 - 1999 maps located in map case # 1; 2002 survey map located in Leesburg Department of Planning, Zoning & Development.


Bibliography

Cox, Teckla H., retired Loudoun County Planner.