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Media Contact:
Leah Kosin, Assistant Public Information Officer
pio@leesburgva.gov
703-771-2781
Thomas Balch Library to Host 2023 Loudoun History Awards
This year's event will recognize three honorees.
Leesburg, VA (October 18, 2023) – The 2023 Loudoun History Awards will be held at the Thomas Balch Library on Sunday, November 5 beginning at 2 p.m. This year’s honorees include George F. Atwell, Leslie Wright, and Loudoun County Public Schools along with Loudoun County Parks and Recreation and the Douglass High School Commemorative Committee.
Atwell will be recognized for his many contributions to local government and education as well as his successful advocacy to acquire and operate Thomas Balch Library as a history and genealogy library when Loudoun County planned to close it.
Wright will be recognized for her efforts in preserving historic Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church, which was built by persons formerly enslaved at the Oatlands Plantation. She has also help record its history in a book, “Gleedsville: A Place of Hopes and Dreams”.
Loudoun County Public Schools, along with Loudoun County Parks and Recreation and the Douglass High School Commemorative Committee will be recognized for the team’s accomplishments in preserving and interpreting historic Douglass High School Education and Development Campus and segregation and integration in Loudoun County history.
These individuals have made significant contributions to preserving Loudoun’s past through collection of county documents and memorabilia, preservation of historic landmarks, visual arts, writing, and long-time commitment to local history organizations.
The public is invited to attend the awards ceremony, which is sponsored by Thomas Balch Library Advisory Commission. Seating is limited. To register or for more information, contact Library Director Alexandra S. Gressitt at 703-737-7195.
Thomas Balch Library is a history and genealogy library owned and operated by the Town of Leesburg. A designated Underground Railroad research site, the Library’s collections focus on Loudoun County, regional and Virginia history, genealogy, military history with special emphasis on the American Civil War, and ethnic history. For more information, visit https://www.leesburgva.gov/departments/thomas-balch-library.
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