Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Capturing Historic Landmark before being Demolished

An email was sent out to folks at the Art League inviting artists and photographers to meet up in downtown Leesburg to sketch, paint, and/or photograph this old building.

It's the A.S.Herlong & Co Citrus Packing House that's been around for over 100 years and new owners of the property plan to have it taken down around the first of March.

We're still trying to find more information about the business and founder but what little I've learned so far:

1) A.S. Herlong Sr. moved to Florida from Atlanta back in 1911 and started the citrus packing company during the citrus boom era in Lake County.

2) A train station near by (still standing) with tracks that ran right up next to the packing company where the company had docks for loading the crates on the train.  Tracks are no longer there.

3)  Herlong's family became one of the most powerful families in the county owning 100s of acres of citrus as well as several houses/properties.

4)  One of Herlong's Senior's sons didn't follow the family business but instead became the youngest judge serving Lake County and later ended up becoming a Congressman.

Hopefully we can find out more about the business itself.

Update:  A little more information:  http://www.dailycommercial.com/news/20170211/leesburg-packing-plant-to-be-demolished-replaced-with-student-housing






2 comments:

Giddings Art said...

Wonderful sketches!

Susan Bronsak said...

Giddings Art............thank you :-)