For generations, kids in Leesburg have known the slope at Rock Spring Farm as the place to go when snow hits. Now the Town of Leesburg is taking steps to make sure that hill — and the land around it — stays part of the community for good.
At its March 10 meeting, the Leesburg Town Council approved contracts to purchase the 13-acre Rock Spring Farm property for $5.75 million. The land sits at 329 Loudoun Street SW near Dry Mill Road inside the town’s Old & Historic District.
The farm has been owned by the Cook family since 1899. It holds a special place in the town’s history. The property includes the original spring that once supplied water to Leesburg and served as a stop during the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to town in 1825.
Because of that history, the site is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
But for many residents, the most familiar part of Rock Spring Farm is something far less formal — Meadow Hill. The Cook family has allowed locals to use the hillside for sledding for decades, turning it into one of Leesburg’s quiet winter traditions.
Town leaders say the purchase would keep that land open for the public.
“The purchase of Rock Spring Farm is an exciting opportunity to preserve a signature piece of property in our Historic District that is an important piece of Leesburg’s story,” said Mayor Kelly Burk. “I am thrilled that this land will be preserved for generations to come as a treasured Town park.”
According to town documents, the property will be used as parkland if the deal is finalized.
Funding for the purchase would come from two sources: the town’s data center revenue and its Utilities Fund.
The council’s vote to approve the purchase agreement passed 3–2–2. Vice Mayor Todd Cimino-Johnson and Council Member Nicholas Krukowski voted against the measure. Council Members Neil Steinberg and Patrick Wilt were absent.
The deal isn’t final yet. Before the town can close on the property, the council must approve the funding.
That step will happen during a public hearing scheduled for April 14.
For residents who’ve spent winters racing down Meadow Hill on sleds — or simply enjoyed the open space tucked inside Leesburg’s historic district — the decision could determine whether the property remains part of the town’s landscape for decades to come.
