Featuring three
family-run
vineyards offering
tours, tastings
and special events
throughout the year.
The classic American experience is alive and well in Botetourt County.
Town of Fincastle
Incorporated in 1772, the county seat for Botetourt County is a virtual museum of American architecture from the late 1770’s through the 21st Century. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed from Fincastle, then on the edge of the Western frontier, when they were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the Louisiana Purchase.
Date Incorporated: 1772
Population: 360 people
Historic Figures: Merriweather Lewis, William Clark, William Preston, Judith Hancock, James and John Breckenridge.
History
Fincastle was a jumping off point for settlers heading West on the Great Valley Road. Lewis and Clark stocked up on supplies here before heading West and came back to edit their journals before reporting to Thomas Jefferson. William Clark married local girl Judith Hancock. After her death Clark returned to Fincastle to marry her cousin.
Things to do
Take a Guided Walking Tour - Historic Fincastle Inc. conducts guided tours of the Historic Town of Fincastle. Visit local churches, historic sites, and hear the story of fabled Fincastle. There is a fee for the tour.
Visit the Botetourt County Historic Museum - The Botetourt County Historic Museum serves as a repository for hundreds of artifacts and treasures that interpret the the unique history of the county for visitors.
Research your ancestory - Genealogists from around the country find original, primary source documents in the Botetourt County Circuit Courthouse. The Fincastle Library Research Room also has a fine collection that includes family history books, Virginia County books, cemetery information, and books on Virginia history.
Valley Road. Lewis and Clark stocked up on supplies here before heading West and came back to edit their journals before reporting to Thomas Jefferson. William Clark married local girl Judith Hancock. After her death Clark returned to Fincastle to marry her cousin.
treasures that interpret the the unique history of the county for visitors.