Fincastle, Virginia

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Fincastle was founded in 1772 and named after Lord Fincastle, son of Lord Dunmore, Virginia's last royal governor. As the seat of Botetourt County, Fincastle was something of the last outpost before the Western frontier serving as a supply station for settlers heading West. From its inception until the Revolutionary war, Fincastle oversaw a massive governmental district that stretched to the Mississippi River and included parts of modern day Wisconsin. Town lore says that folks who lived more than 500 miles away were excused from jury duty. Fincastle's courthouse was designed by Thomas Jefferson and today still houses county government functions for a much smaller county and contains a vast archive of public records relevant to the late colonial Virginia and the Western expansion periods. George Washington, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and other prominent Virginians either appeared in Fincastle or sent their agents to lay claim to tracts of wilderness lands. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed from Fincastle when they were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase. Two years after his arrival back in Virginia, Clark married Julia Hancock of Fincastle on January 5,1808.

Botetourt County is located in the southwestern portion of the state in the scenic Roanoke Valley of Virginia. Strategically located on Interstate 81 and just 20 miles to Interstate 64, Botetourt County is accessible to the markets of the Mid-West and the East. Richmond, the state capital, is 176 miles northeast; Washington, D.C. is 233 miles northeast; and Winston-Salem, N.C. is 122 miles south. Botetourt County is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Retrace the footsteps of Lewis and Clark through the historic town of Fincastle or take a piece of Americana home with you from one of the charming shops of downtown Buchanan or Troutville. Surrounded by the majestic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Botetourt County offers outdoor adventure along the Blue Ridge Parkway, National Forests, James River and 75 miles of the Appalachian Trail. From American history to unmatched natural beauty, Botetourt County has something for everyone.

http://www.co.botetourt.va.us/visiting/index.php

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