Leesburg depot work continues

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The Leesburg Area Historical Society is still moving forward in its goal of restorating on the village’s 1899 train depot, hoping to turn it into a space for public and private gatherings, in addition to hosting historical and cultural exhibits of Leesburg and the surrounding area.

Despite all the concerns and delays experienced this year by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicole Friend, the publicity and fundraising chair of the organization, predicted that 2021 “will be an exciting year for us, but we will need a lot of volunteer help to get everything done.”

In an email to The Times-Gazette, she wrote “come join your neighbors and be part of the depot’s rebirth.”

She listed four ways that those interested in supporting the efforts could do so:

• For construction firms interested in the project, McCarty Associates, LLC is currently soliciting bids for Phase I of construction. Friend said architect Doug Karnes could be contacted for additional details at 937-393-9971.

• An Art & Yard Sale is scheduled for Friday and Saturday Oct. 2-3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mullen Hill Road. Friend said it will be a large multi-family sale that will feature work from local artists and art supplies, with the entire purchase going to help rebuild the depot.

• Donations are needed to bridge the gap between state funding and the projected cost of depot renovations. Friend said any size donation will be appreciated, and can be mailed to: LAHS, P.O. Box 63, Leesburg, Ohio 45135; dropped off at Southern Hills Community Bank; or made online at www.gofundme.com/f/leesburgdepot. There are various levels of recognition for individual donors and corporate partners such as naming rights for the stage, ticket window, conference room, and cargo room. Call 937-763-5298 for more information. She said the Leesburg Area Historical Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, so contributions are generally tax deductible.

• Amazon and Kroger shoppers can select a charity link to donate to the organization. She said it takes just a few minutes to link an account, and that it will give the historical society cash back on every purchase. Instructions are available at the society website — www.leesburghistory.org.

Friend said the annual meeting of the Leesburg Area Historical Society is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Highland County North Joint Fire & Ambulance Station Community Room in Leesburg.

One-year memberships in the Leesburg Area Historical Society are $5 per person, and the group will have a guest speaker along with refreshments and a report on its progress over the past year.

Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.

This how the train depot in Leesburg looked in the early 1900s.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/09/web1_Depot-then.jpgThis how the train depot in Leesburg looked in the early 1900s.

This is how the train depot in Leesburg looks today.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2020/09/web1_Depot-today.jpgThis is how the train depot in Leesburg looks today.
State funding vs. actual cost donations still needed

By Tim Colliver

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