[SUBMITTED PHOTO]This ornate Gothic style stove survived the “big fire” of 1870 in Fincastle when the house did not. Stand-alone cast-iron stoves which burned wood and or coal were very popular in the 1800s since they could be used for heating and cooking. This one was made in Pennsylvania in 1850. It was donated to the Botetourt County Historical Museum on March 1, 1967, by Ruth and Irene Bigler of Troutville, VA. It was saved from the remains of their aunt Mrs. Rebecca Smith’s home.
