The Botetourt County Historical Society (BCHS) is only 60 years old this year, but it has been instrumental in the preservation of Botetourt’s heritage. The BCHS Museum opened in 1966 in the old Breckinridge Law Office and Western Hotel building.
Today, in the BCHS Museum on Main Street in Fincastle, a new exhibit is going down memory lane to showcase the artifacts that were donated that year. One of those items on display is a wooden sand sifter. It was donated on Aug. 31, 1966, by Mrs. Fulton T. (Helen Houseman) Waid.
She wrote at the time that she remembered climbing behind the counter as a child to reach this treasured sand sifter at the Houseman Store on the corner in Fincastle. It had belonged to her grandfather, Lewis Houseman, Jr., who was born on Jan. 5, 1831. After many years of hard work he was able to buy the general store, which he operated with his family. He hand carved “Houseman in Fincastle VA” along the bottom.
Holes in the top of the container allowed sand to be sifted onto wet ink to absorb the excess. Then the sand was blown off of the paper. The sand was not like beach sand, but rather had a fine and gritty texture.
Artifacts like this help to tell the story of a time quite different from today. Much more information can be found in this BCHS 60th anniversary exhibition.
~ Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture
