I was on a recent foray into our area’s attractions of interest, when a unique portion of our locality’s past sort of reached out and joined in on the visit: on my first-ever official tour of Union Cemetery in Leesburg, I suddenly found myself in the mythically named Potter’s Field.
This was the title given—back in the 1800’s—to a plot of land that—now—looks nothing like a graveyard. The acreage in question lies just off the corner of Catoctin Circle and East Market Street—taking up a portion of what would eventually become the Leesburg Plaza Shopping Mall.
In all my years as local News Director at Wage Radio in the County Seat, I must have heard mention of such a place, but when I found myself standing next to an historical marker in Union Cemetery, it was like undiscovered country.
The vault I paid homage to that day—according to Town records—includes the remains of 300-some individuals, taken from their original resting place, eventually to be re-interred on the other side of the community…