Botetourt County: Stroll Through the Past

Late Summer 2008
by Dave Reynolds

Botetourt County Tourism Information

Botetourt County, linking Lexington to Roanoke, has lots of beautiful scenery, rolling countryside that reaches to the edges of the mountains, and wonderful small towns that seem to have stepped out of a different time.

Park along Main St. in charming Buchanan. Make your first stop the soda fountain—straight out of the 1950s in every detail! Down the same side of the street are shops, with goods as inviting as the restored architecture. Save room in your car for some new treasures!

The Buchanan Theatre, built in 1919 offers live music shows monthly and classic movies on weekends.

Take time to cross the James River on the famous high, swinging foot bridge, the last of its type to span the James. The large stone piers were originally constructed as part of a toll bridge built in 1851, but burned by Confederate Gen. McCausland in 1964, to prevent Hunter’s Federal troops from crossing.

If you have a need for a pleasant walk around a small hilly colonial county seat village, Fincastle is the place. Wear good walking shoes and take your time. This quaint village of about 325 or so quiet souls has been the seat of Botetourt for the last 233 years. Combining the talents of German craftsmen and Scots-Irish merchants and lawyers, early residents built a town of attractive houses and dignified small public buildings.

Visit the Botetourt County Museum; stand on Court House Square and spy an old (1809) Western style hotel, a Jeffersonian courthouse (1818), and a Victorian-style jail (1897). Then using the Walking Tour Guide, found just outside the courthouse, discover beautiful wrought iron fences and gates, flagstone walks, hand-operated water pumps, and the early gravestones in the churchyards. Five churches date back to 1795 and are active today. Guided tours of the historic area are available Monday–Saturday for a nominal fee. Call in advance, and schedule your own personal tour guide!

You may be surprised to learn that this sleepy region is a haven for artisans. Caldwell Mountain Copper produces exquisite copper vessels. Jacob Cress crafts fine, whimsical furniture—his pieces are truly works of art! And Old Trinity Schoolhouse Quilt Shop keeps alive the great mountain quilting tradition.

Article text ©2008, Shenandoah Specialty Publishing, LLC.
May be printed for personal use only.

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