About

Leesburg, Loudoun, and the American Revolution, a leisurely two-hour history exploration of Leesburg and Loudoun County's past, led by local historian Rich Gillespie, will begin at Thomas Balch Library at 10AM. A long-time history teacher in the county, Gillespie is also Historian Emeritus for the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area. In the decade that brought on the American Revolution,1770s Loudoun was a new county, created by the House of Burgesses in 1757, and was what modern historians refer to as the Southern Back Country. West of the fall line, European settlers arrived here as much from Pennsylvania as from long-settled Tidewater Virginia. This tour will both introduce you to the American Revolution and how it played locally against the backdrop of the historic landscape that remains from that time. Registration is required. Good walking shoes, warm clothes, and a bottle of water are recommended as you will be outside for the morning. The tour leaves from Thomas Balch Library parking lot at 10AM. (Tour limited to 50)