 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
- Road Closure Notice - Mountain Pass Road (Rt 652)
- County Tourism Office Awarded Arts Grant
- 2008 Survey Reports Continued High Citizen Satisfaction
- Recent Office Moves
- New State Building Code Adopted, Effective May 1
 |
COPYRIGHT NOTICE. Copyright 2004 County of Botetourt, Virginia and/or its suppliers, 1 West Main Street, Fincastle, VA 24090 U.S.A. All rights reserved.
See our Legal Page
Site designed by New City Media.
 |
|
Historical
Society
The Botetourt County Historical Society maintains the Botetourt County History Museum, located behind the Courthouse in Fincastle. The museum is open from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Monday-Saturday and from 2:00 - 4:00 pm on Sunday. Membership in the Historical Society is welcomed. For information, contact the Historical Society, P.O. Box 468, Fincastle, VA 24090, or call (540)473-8394.
 |
Botetourt County Map - circa 1770 |
Historic Sites
- Historic Fincastle is the best source of information about the historical sites in Botetourt.
Fincastle was founded in 1772 and named after Lord Fincastle, son of Lord Dunmore, Virginia's last royal governor. Antebellum churches, tree-lined streets, a courthouse designed by Thomas Jefferson, restored homes and a quaint village atmosphere make it a wonderful place to visit. A walking tour is available. Historic Fincastle Inc. maintains an office in the restored Matten Early Cabin on Murray Street (540/473-3077). Membership is welcomed.
- More than a dozen Botetourt sites are on the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register.
Included are Breckinridge Mill near Fincastle, Callie Furnace near Glen Wilton, Nininger's Mill (Tinker Mill) in Daleville, Phoenix Bridge near Eagle Rock, Prospect Hill near Fincastle, Roaring Run Furnace at Roaring Run, Santillane in Fincastle, Wiloma near Fincastle, Wilson Warehouse in Buchanan and archaeological sites at Bessemer near Eagle Rock and at Looney Mill Creek near Buchanan. Locks, canal abutments and tunnels from the James River and Kanawha Canal offer a look at the country's early mode of transportation. In Buchanan, the only swinging bridge that crosses the James River is on abutments that date back 150 years.
Historical markers abound throughout the county, providing a glimpse of the past. One in Fincastle notes that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed from this frontier town when they were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Other markers point to frontier forts and sites of Indian raids.
Genealogy
Genealogists from around the country find original, primary source documents in the Botetourt County Circuit Courthouse (540) 473-8274, open Monday through Friday, 8:30-4:30. Librarians in the Fincastle branch library also assist patrons with genealogical research (540) 473-8339.
African-American History of Botetourt County
- The Botetourt County-Wide League is beginning to document and interpret
the African-American heritage in Botetourt County.
It meets the first Saturday of each month (except July)
at 2:30 PM in the Family Life Center of the Fincastle United Methodist Church.
For information, contact Judith C. Barnett, 540-473-2082.
- Other: Africana Heritage Project