FINCASTLE – The relocation site of Botetourt County’s Civil War monument has been narrowed to four possible tracts of land, three in Fincastle and one in Greenfield, by the committee set up to study the issue.
The Botetourt County Monuments and Memorial Committee whittled down the site to land in close proximity to the Old Jail, Courthouse Square and an area at the end of Madine Way, all in Fincastle, and a site near the Preston Memorial at the north end of the county administration building.
The committee will make a recommendation to the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors as to the future of the Civil War monument. At an earlier meeting they agreed unanimously to recommend removal from its current site at the entrance of the county’s courthouse and are now deciding an appropriate relocation site for the controversial memorial.
The three possible locations came after Cody Sexton, assistant to the county administrator, listed county owned lands, but quickly discovered there’s not many plots ideal for relocating the monument after removing school, landfill and utility properties.
“Actually, we have very, very little county-owned property that is available. We just don’t have a lot of county-owned land…” he told the committee, which met virtually after seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases across Southwest Virginia.
Committee members agreed with Supervisor Stephen Clinton that purchasing land for the monument isn’t a viable option, given the cost and causing a delay in placing the Confederate monument.
At a recent meeting, they asked if Fincastle’s Big Spring Park would be an ideal spot. They asked Pam Binns, the town’s representative on the committee and a Fincastle Town Council member, if she would gauge the town’s reaction. Binns reported back emails she received said the town’s small park “isn’t a viable solution” and it was determined placing the controversial monument at Big Spring Park “was not the best use of the space.” If the monument stays in Fincastle, Town Council wants to see the obelisk have contextualization and placed at a location where it is viewed by those wanting to see it, she said.
Emails sent to Binns from Fincastle residents stated the monument is not conducive to the town’s atmosphere. “The park is a natural environment for peace and reflection,” one email reads, adding the monument is a divisive symbol and has the potential to attract hate groups. Another email states, “While this park has been central to the history of Fincastle, it has also in more recent history, become a gathering place for our community.”
Many on the committee spoke about what the monument means, some saying their ancestors fought in the Civil War as members of troops from Botetourt County. “It’s very important to take that into consideration when we decide the future of this monument,” said Lewis Sifford, who represents the Botetourt Artillery on the committee.
Another member said the history of Confederate monuments needs to be examined. Across the country, monuments were erected to remember those who didn’t make it back from war. “There was no body to bring home, so [communities] put up monuments at the courthouse. They were gravestones to those who didn’t make it back.”
The committee suggested the Board of Supervisors ask the recently hired architecture firm to look at possible options for relocation. Clinton said the firm, Architectural Partners, based in Lynchburg, has experienced dealing with controversial monuments.
During his chairman’s report, Clinton responded to a number of comments on The Fincastle Herald’s Facebook page about having a referendum on the issue. “I don’t want anyone on the committee to think we’re not doing this the right way,” he said. “It’s easy to say we should have had a referendum. Our solution will be better than a referendum. Referendums don’t always solve issues and can actually create more problems,” he said, adding that referendums only have yes or no answers.
Clinton said the committee’s recommendation is going to be durable, lasting and knowledgeable.
