Debra Alderson Mcclane

Botetourt County Revisited Debra Alderson Mcclane

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references (page 127). Table of Contents: Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. Farms, Families, and Homes -- 2. Artisans, Craftsmen, and Businesses -- 3. Students and Teachers, Schools and Churches -- 4. Roads and Places along the Way -- 5. Sesquicentennial of the Civil War -- 6. Tourism Then and Now -- Bibliography. Publisher Marketing: Located at the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley, Botetourt County's history is closely tied to its role as a transportation crossroads. The area's 18th-century trails and wagon roads have long since transformed into today's US Route 11 and Interstate 81. Many traveled along these earlier routes and found lodging at some of Botetourt County's inns and taverns, such as "Hotel Sam" Obenshain's Blue Ridge Hall, or at roadside motels like the Royal and the Shenandoah. After the Civil War, the hardworking and industrious residents of Botetourt County returned to their respective communities to rebuild; they prospered in agricultural, industrial, and commercial pursuits. Botetourt has also produced talented artisans and craftsmen, such as furniture maker Charles Keeling and coppersmith Porter Caldwell. Through vintage images of the homes and farms of the Bolton family, the Stevens family, and others, Botetourt County Revisited remembers and celebrates the significant impact these individuals had on building the county's strong communities. Contributor Bio:  McClane, Debra Alderson Debra Alderson McClane, a Botetourt native, is an architectural historian in private practice in Richmond, Virginia. Many of the photographs used here were generously shared by local residents, while others were drawn from institutional collections, most notably the Botetourt County Historical Museum in Fincastle.