Home of the First mayor
Source: text partly taken from Heem Leopoldsburg on Seniorennet.be https://blog.seniorennet.be/leopoldsburg/ – Translation by Patrick Marquenie
Old postcards of the Church ‘OLV Tenhemelopneming’ and the old post office also regularly mention the home of the first mayor, Vander Elst. You can also find a sign on the building itself that states this.
Let’s go back to 1844 when BOURG’s allotment plan is already 2 years old.
On this plan we see the church 1 (consecrated in 1843, since 1924 the chapel of the Carmelite sisters), the graveyard 2 (built-in 1835) to the right of the church, the school 3 to the left of the church, the presbytery 4 (1844) opposite the graveyard, next to which the First Post Office 5 (1844). Across the street from this post office, we see the real house of Vander Elst 6: a single-story house, above which attic rooms under a gable roof (was renovated several times after 1890 ..).
So even though it has been adjusted, in my view it is indeed the home of our first mayor.
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