[SUBMITTED PHOTO]This is a handmade six-drawer wagon chest. It kept items from sliding around during travel on horse-drawn Conestoga covered wagons. Col. Israel Christian is believed to have owned it. In 1770, Christian donated 45 acres next to his Fincastle home to establish a courthouse, jail and church for the new Botetourt County. After November 2, 2021, this artifact will return to the Botetourt County Museum Frontier Gallery. Today it is part of the Botetourt Decorative Arts Exhibit in Roanoke (Roanokehistory.org).
