The history of the Botetourt County Courthouse goes back to 1770 when a log frontier structure was built to serve the newly formed county. Stocks and a dunking stool were used as forms of punishment for those who violated the laws. This picture shows the third courthouse, which was built in 1847. The courtroom was located on the second floor and heated by a fireplace in the north end of the room. In 1970, this building burned due to a faulty heating system. In the Clerk’s Office, the fireproof vault saved documents that refer directly to Lord Fauquier, Lord Botetourt, Lord Dunmore, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee, Col. William Clark and other prominent local citizens. This information was compiled by researcher and Botetourt County Historical Society board member Patricia A. Honts. The photograph, courthouse bell, a witness box and other artifacts can be seen in the Courthouse Display at the Botetourt Museum of History & Culture in Fincastle. The current Botetourt Courthouse is scheduled to be replaced by a larger building on the same location.
~ Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture
