Fran Poston Photograph Collection 2003

Access and use

Location of collection:
Thomas Balch Library
Thomas Balch Library
208 West Market Street
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Alexandra S. Gressitt
Phone: (703) 737-7195
Fax: (703) 737-7195

Summary

Creator:
Fran Poston
Abstract:
35 photographs of historic downtown Leesburg, Virginia.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Fran Poston was born in Leesburg and raised in Loudoun County. Her family has a long history here having been in the area for over 200 years. Poston has had an interest in photography throughout her life and is a part-time professional photographer. The photographs in this collection were taken as a collaborative effort with Mary Fishback, who used a number of images in her book, Images of America: Leesburg. Poston also took photographs that Fishback used in Loudoun County People and Places. The photographs in this collection were taken in 2003 to document Leesburg in that year. Some of those photographs were reproduced in Mary Fishback's Images of America: Leesburg, which provides a brief summary of notable people and events in the history of the town.

Biographical / historical:

In the 1750's Leesburg emerged as a small settlement at the crossroads of the Carolina and Alexandria Roads, two major trading routes. It was recognized as the county seat for Loudoun in 1758 by the Virginia General Assembly. When the British marched on Washington, D.C. in 1812, the town served as a temporary capital. During that time, many important archives were brought to Leesburg for safekeeping including the Articles of Confederation, the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. During the Civil War, the town was recognized by both the Union and the Confederacy for its strategic position. Throughout the Civil War, both Union and Confederate troops marched through the area and the town changed hands over 100 times. Leesburg was also the site of the Battle of Balls Bluff in 1861. Throughout the years, Leesburg has been visited by a number of prominent figures including George Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, Herbert Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harry Byrd. Additionally, both Westmoreland Davis and George C. Marshall lived in the area. Leesburg's picturesque and well-preserved Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The town continues to serves as the seat of government for one of the nation's fastest growing counties in the nation.

Acquisition information:
Mary Fishback, Leesburg, VA
Physical description:
35 items