Botetourt County was named after Norborne Berkeley, Baron De Botetourt (Lord Botetourt), governor of Virginia in 1770 when this county was created from Augusta and Rockbridge Counties. Botetourt County once stretched to the Mississippi River, and it encompassed areas found now in the current states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois. The first county to be created from this landmass was Fincastle County in 1772 (eliminated as a county five years later in 1777).
Fincastle, a picturesque town located just north of Roanoke, is Botetourt County’s seat. Other, smaller towns include Buchanan, Eagle Rock, and Troutville. The James River originates between this county and Alleghany County, where the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers merge. The James River runs south until Eagle Rock, where it turns east and meanders through the county, passing James River High School until entering Buchanan. In Buchanan, the river turns northward and flows into Rockbridge County towards Glasgow.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,414 km² (546 mi²). 1,405 km² (543 mi²) of it is land and 8 km² (3 mi²) of it (0.60%) is water. The Blue Ridge Mountains run along the eastern part of the county, and the Appalachian Mountains run along the western part of the county. The two mountain ranges come close together, separated by the town of Buchanan and the James River.
NOTE: I’ve had great success with this courthouse both in person and via snail-mail. The county clerks are very helpful and proficient.
Botetourt County Virginia Vital Records
Botetourt County Administrator
1 West Main Street, Box 1
Fincastle, VA 24090
Telephone: (540) 473-8223
Circuit Court Clerk
P.O. Box 219
Fincastle, Virginia 24090
Phone: (540) 473-8274
Fax: (540) 473-8209
General
Botetourt County Official Website (this is an all-encompassing Website)
Census Bureau Profile
Botetourt County Wikipedia
E-Podunk
NACo
Genealogical
Botetourt County RootsWeb
Botetourt GenWeb Archives
Botetourt County VaGenWeb Project
Botetourt County Vital Records
Historical
Botetourt County Museum
American Memory - Built in America - Botetourt County images from the Library of Congress
Botetourt County Storms (1950-2006)
Free Online Research Sources
Botetourt County Census Online
Botetourt County Confederate Units
WW II Casualties Army and Air Force
Cemeteries
USGS GNIS Botetourt County Cemeteries
Botetourt County Political Graveyard
Botetourt County Find a Grave
Newspapers
The Roanoke Times - includes obituaries
Online Maps, Geology
1895 Botetourt County Map
Google Map Botetourt County
Botetourt County Place Names
Botetourt County Physical and Cultural Features
