• Login
  • My Account
  • Subscribe To Fincastle Herald
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Content
Fincastle Herald
  • News Categories
    • Local News
    • Featured Sports
    • Sports News
    • School News
    • Entertainment News
  • Opinions
  • Church
  • Obituaries
  • Courthouse
    • Legals
  • eHerald
  • Subscribe Today
  • News From Around The State
  • News From Around The Country
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
  • News Categories
    • Local News
    • Featured Sports
    • Sports News
    • School News
    • Entertainment News
  • Opinions
  • Church
  • Obituaries
  • Courthouse
    • Legals
  • eHerald
  • Subscribe Today
  • News From Around The State
  • News From Around The Country
No Result
View All Result
Fincastle Herald
No Result
View All Result

250th Celebration Facts for July 22 Edition

July 20, 2020
in Local News
Reading Time: 2min read
A A
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Springs in Botetourt

Though it is hard to imagine this scorching July, people used to come from far and near to enjoy cooler summers and curative springs in Botetourt County! We describe here a couple of springs in our county for the 250th Anniversary.

Blue Ridge had Blue Ridge Springs Hotel.  Visitors came from all over Virginia using the Colonial Road that follows modern day US 460. Curative powers in spring water were acclaimed throughout the United States. It was located on the eastern side of the road not far from the Boxley Field. Blue Ridge waters were acclaimed to be curative of indigestion and a 40-gallon barrel cost $6.

Dagger Springs near Gala Loop north of Eagle Rock hosted many people of importance including President Grover Cleveland. Dagger Springs Hotel burned in the early part of the 20th Century. Located near Mill Creek in Gala, it was an attraction of this area.

Wade Hampton, who was a Southern officer in the Civil War, would be a paid companion after the war, treating his customers with stories during dinner. President Cleveland fished the James River. It is said that Robert E. Lee brought his generals to Dagger Springs for a pre-campaign session before the ill-fated trip into Pennsylvania and Gettysburg. From reading an account of the hotel at the Lexington Library years ago, apparently the hotel had the best fried chicken in Southwest Virginia.

In Fincastle the wrought iron work on several of the older homes from the 19th Century can be traced from the influence of visitors who came to beat the heat and disease of the Deep South. Yellow fever was a particular hard malady of more southern climes and the appeal of mountains and spring waters was a real reason to come to Fincastle in the 19th Century. Big Spring in the recess of Fincastle’s Town Park was among the notable springs of Botetourt County

So on this hot week in July, maybe just drink some cold water and think at least at one point in time, Botetourt was a “cool” place to be!

-Cathy Benson, The Botetourt Bee

Sources: Lexington Public Library, Around Town, Fincastle Va. and Blue Ridge Springs

ShareTweetPin
Previous Post

Update from Dr. Molly O’Dell for July 22 Edition

Next Post

Library Buzz for July 22 Edition

newsletter
  • Login
  • My Account
  • Subscribe To Fincastle Herald
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Content

© 2020 Mountain Media, LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • News Categories
    • Local News
    • Featured Sports
    • Sports News
    • School News
    • Entertainment News
  • Opinions
  • Church
  • Obituaries
  • Courthouse
    • Legals
  • eHerald
  • Subscribe Today
  • News From Around The State
  • News From Around The Country

© 2020 Mountain Media, LLC

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Email
  • Sign in

Forgot your password?

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive mail with link to set new password.

Back to login