By Matt de Simone
For Lynsey Allie, no two days at the Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture are ever quite the same.
One day might involve planning a major exhibit, meeting with community partners or organizing oral history interviews. Another could mean watering flowers outside the museum, borrowing her husband’s truck to haul artifacts or answering a flood of emails behind a computer screen.
As the executive director of the Botetourt County Historical Society, Allie wears just about every hat imaginable.
“I’m the only full-time person that’s here,” Allie explained. “We have a couple part-time folks, but it’s a lot and it kind of varies. Obviously, it ranges from just making sure the doors are open and welcoming visitors that come in to working on an exhibit or meeting with another partner about an upcoming event.”
That variety is part of what keeps her passionate about the job.
Allie, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Roanoke College and a master’s degree in archival studies from Clayton State University, said her interest in history stretches back to childhood.
“Even in high school, history was always my favorite class,” she recalled. “I just love history and making sure that history stays around, that people don’t forget about these things for generations to come.”
Before coming to Botetourt County about five years ago, Allie spent seven years at the Historical Society of Western Virginia in Roanoke. Since arriving in Fincastle, she has helped expand programming and community outreach while working to preserve the county’s stories, artifacts and heritage.
She especially enjoys finding creative ways to connect history with the community.
Photos by Matt de Simone
Among her favorite projects are events like the Harvesting History Dinner, which partnered with the Botetourt County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee for a farm-to-table event highlighting local agricultural history. She also pointed to Paint Fincastle, an annual event returning next month where artists paint throughout town while showcasing the community’s historic architecture.
“I always think that’s super fun, coming up with new ideas and different ways that we can highlight history,” Allie remarked.
Still, much of the work happens quietly behind the scenes.
“People probably think I’m constantly digging through archives or mounting exhibits,” she noted with a laugh. “But I am very often chained to my computer. I’m a slave to the inbox.”
Preserving history, she said, is far more complicated than simply placing old artifacts on shelves.
“It takes a lot of time and it takes a lot of money,” Allie emphasized. “Archival boxes and archival enclosures for stuff are not cheap. It costs a lot of money to properly house all this stuff and take care of it the way it should be done.”
Like many nonprofits, the Historical Society also faces manpower challenges. Volunteers are invaluable, but much of the work is physically demanding and time-consuming.
Allie credited the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office’s inmate work crew with helping move large artifacts, maintain the grounds and assist with exhibit preparation.
“Without them, I would be in serious trouble,” she admitted. “We wouldn’t have been able to do this exhibit.”
Despite the challenges, the rewards make the effort worthwhile.
For Allie, one of the best moments comes when visitors discover something new about Botetourt County’s past.
“Seeing people come in and say, ‘Oh wow, I didn’t know this about Botetourt,’ that’s always great,” she said. “When I first started working here, I heard a lot of people say, ‘I didn’t even know Botetourt had a museum.’ I feel like I hear that less now.”
She also enjoys seeing community members donate artifacts and share family stories connected to the county’s history.
“It’s super awesome to see things come in and hear how they connect to Botetourt’s history,” she added.
For Allie, local history matters because it helps people understand where they live and how their community connects to larger historical events.
“Botetourt County has been around since before the United States was even founded,” she pointed out. “We’ve got a lot of history. We have little connections here and there to very large world events.”
Part of her mission is ensuring younger generations become excited about that history, too.
The Historical Society frequently visits classrooms with hands-on artifacts students can touch and examine. Interactive programs tend to leave the biggest impressions, especially when food is involved.
Allie laughed while describing a butter-churning activity tied to frontier history.
“The kids go nuts,” she said. “Anything active or interactive, they just eat it up.”
Some stories uncovered through her work have stayed with her personally.
One involves Norvel Lee, the Olympic gold medal-winning boxer from Botetourt County whose story has gained renewed attention in recent years. The museum even houses his boxing gloves.
Another centers on John Wyatt, a Revolutionary War spy who worked for Col. William Preston. Allie became so fascinated by the story that she helped inspire a theatrical production through Attic Productions called “The Most Horrid Conspiracy,” which is playing May 28-31. Tickets are now available through the Attic box office.
“My mind was so blown by that story,” she recalled. “I thought, more people need to know this.”
Looking ahead, Allie and the Historical Society are preparing several major projects, including a large agricultural history exhibit expected to open this summer. The exhibit will feature artifacts and oral histories from local farmers.
The organization is also continuing its “History After Dark” series, Haunted History Tours and a growing list of community events throughout the year.
Ultimately, Allie hopes the Historical Society continues reaching new audiences and helping residents connect with the county’s past.
“Our mission is to educate kids and adults alike about Botetourt’s history,” she explained. “I’d love to expand and do even more events to bring in different demographics that maybe wouldn’t otherwise come to the museum.”
As for her favorite piece of Botetourt County history, Allie said she remains fascinated by the county’s original size.
The original Botetourt County once stretched westward into parts of present-day Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.
“I graduated from Lord Botetourt and lived here a long time and never really knew that until I started working here,” she said. “I always think that’s a very interesting fact.”
