Leesburg, Florida
Leesburg is a city of 30,807 people in Lake County, Florida, founded in 1857.
Why visit Leesburg
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails and 3 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Campbell House, Lee School, Arlington Ridge Golf Club and The Plantation Golf Club - Otter Creek.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 49°F.
Weather in Leesburg
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Leesburg
Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. As of 2020, the population had exactly 27,000 residents.
From the Wikipedia article Leesburg, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks6
Campbell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Also known as Valentine House, NRHP-listed
Lee School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.7 mi
School building in Florida, United States of America
Mote-Morris House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.6 mi
Historic house in Florida, United States
Okahumpka Rosenwald School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic school in Florida, USA
Leesburg Heritage Museum
Museum · 6.6 mi
History museum in Leesburg, Florida
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
The Plantation Golf Club - Cranes Roost
Golf course · 2.0 mi
4720 Plantation Boulevard, Leesburg
Restaurants and cafes3
Churches and places of worship11
Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.5 mi
3720 North Quarters Road, Okahumpka
History
Leesburg was first settled in 1857 by Evander McIver Lee and Susannah Lee. Shortly after Evander purchased his first property in the area, his brother Josiah joined him, purchasing land near Montclair Road. Several of his brothers followed him to the area. One of them, John Calvin Lee, was credited with giving the town its name. The city was incorporated in 1875, and was designated as the county seat of Sumter County for a time. When Lake County was formed in 1887, Tavares was designated as its seat. It was officially incorporated as the "City of Leesburg" on July 12, 1875.
In the early 20th century, Leesburg was an important center for watermelon production. In 1930, it held its first Watermelon Festival, an annual tradition that lasted for nearly 30 years. But gradually watermelon production dwindled and, for the last festival in 1957, watermelons had to be brought to the city from outside the area.
In 1938, during the Great Depression, the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration invested in infrastructure and improvement projects across the county. Its Works Progress Administration began work on the Venetian Gardens waterside park, located on the shores of Lake Harris. These canals and gardens have been a centerpiece of the community ever since.
Lake Square Mall, the city's major shopping mall, opened in 1980.
From the History section of Leesburg, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries4
Map of Leesburg
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°F | 49°F | 2.5 in |
| Feb | 73°F | 52°F | 2.1 in |
| Mar | 77°F | 56°F | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 83°F | 62°F | 2.0 in |
| May | 88°F | 68°F | 2.7 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 73°F | 7.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 5.9 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 6.6 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 73°F | 5.2 in |
| Oct | 84°F | 66°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 77°F | 57°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 72°F | 52°F | 2.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Leesburg Muni Ap (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lake County has had 29 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2023-08-28: Tropical Storm Idalia (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Leesburg International Airport (LEE) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Groveland 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Lady Lake 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Clermont 17 mi southeast, about 28 min by car
- Eustis 17 mi northeast, about 27 min by car
- Apopka 23 mi east, about 36 min by car
- Horizon West 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Lake Butler 26 mi southeast, about 42 min by car
- Forest City 28 mi east, about 45 min by car
- Four Corners 31 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
- Altamonte Springs 31 mi east, about 50 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Leesburg FL city hall01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Schizachyrium niveum - Leesburg, FL, Dsandii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Schizachyrium niveum - Leesburg, FL; specimen 2, Dsandii, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Campbellhouseokahumpka1, Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
- Leeschoolleesburg1, Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
- Motemorris01, Ebyabe, CC BY 2.5
- Leesburg FL HSandHM pano01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS019-E-6616 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS049-E-35590 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Meleagris gallopavo osceola 183884892, Mike Brady, CC BY 4.0
- Meleagris gallopavo osceola 183884881, Mike Brady, CC BY 4.0
- Okahumpka Rosenwald School, Jrryjude, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lake Harris, US27SB, Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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