Botetourt

Formed January 1, 1770 (53^rd county)

Botetourt County (33,593), Fincastle (759), Buchanan (1,194)

The classy red brick Modern Colonial structure was erected in 1975.  There were 1773, 1818, and 1848 courthouses before all in Fincastle.  The courthouse is on Main Street at Roanoke Street.  United States Highway 220 passes one block to the west.  Hinnant, Addison, and Hinnant are the architects.  The courthouse features columns with a rot iron fence and veteran memorials on the grounds.  A 1988 District Courthouse augments the county courthouse.  The county was founded on January 1, 1770 from Augusta County as the 53^rd county.  Botetourt County is named for the Baron de Botetourt.  The county seat was named for Lord Fincastle. 

Botetourt County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Three Circuit Court Judges and Eight District Court Judges serve Botetourt, Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Craig, Highland, and Rockbridge counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Lexington, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities and Fifty-nine Magistrate Court Judges serve Botetourt, Alleghany, Amherst, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Campbell, Craig, Franklin, Henry, Highland, Nelson, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Roanoke, and Rockbridge counties and Buena Vista, Covington, Danville, Lexington, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton, and Waynesboro cities.  The county is located in western Virginia.  Roanoke, Virginia is directly southwest and Richmond, Virginia is east of the county.  The county center is 7.8 miles Northeast of Fincastle nearer Kyles Mills.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Rockbridge, Bedford, Roanoke, Craig, and Alleghany counties. 

The area of the county is 543 square miles.  It is 15 out of 133 in the state.  It ranks 52 out of 133 in population in the state.  It has a density of 61.9 persons per square mile making it 90 out of 133 in the state.  Botetourt County has 7.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 81 crosses the county from northeast to southwest from Rockbridge County to Roanoke County.  United States Highway 11 parallels Interstate Highway 81 from Rockbridge to Roanoke counties.  United States Highway 220 enters from Alleghany County and exits into Roanoke County.  The county resembles a fire plug tipping toward the east.  Fincastle is located in the southern third of the county.  Buchanan is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Fincastle is the county seat and Buchanan is the largest city.  Fincastle is 2.3% of the county population while Buchanan is 3.6% of the county population.  The county is pronounced BOT-E-TOERT.  This county is in the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area.