On Blue Ridge Parkway (at milepost 95.4), on the right when traveling north.
The Appalachian Trail crisscrosses the Blue Ridge Parkway for 100 miles in Virginia. Farther south, it winds through the Great Smoky Mountains. The trail usually follows the crest of the Appalachian chain, occasionally descending into scenic . . . — — Map (db m134499) HM
On Lynchburg Salem Turnpike (U.S. 460), on the right when traveling east.
Botetourt County. Area 548 Square Miles. Formed in 1769 from Augusta, and named for Lord Botetourt, Governor of Virginia, 1768–1770. Buchanan was the western terminus of the noted James River and Kanawha Canal.
Bedford . . . — — Map (db m57734) HM
Since 1851, portions of the Buchanan Swinging Bridge have played a critical role in the Town of Buchanan’s history while providing a scenic crossing of the James River. The Buchanan Swinging Bridge you see now is 366 feet long, 57.5 feet tall at . . . — — Map (db m140270) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 11) south of Washington Street, on the right when traveling south.
The Great Valley Road, which carried many settlers of European descent through Virginia beginning in the 1740s, crossed the James River nearby. This intersection gave rise to Pattonsburg, established north of the river in 1788 and named for early . . . — — Map (db m233096) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling south. Reported missing.
The town was established in 1811 and named for Colonel John Buchanan, pioneer and soldier. It was incorporated in 1833. Its importance consisted in its being the western terminus of the James River and Kanawha Canal, which reached the town in 1851. . . . — — Map (db m23810) HM
Near Lowe Street (County Road T-1305) west of Main Street (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling west.
Buchanan, Virginia is the western terminus of the James River & Kanawha Canal. Considered one of Virginia’s most remarkable engineering feats ever attempted, the Canal’s beginnings stretch back to 1785, when George Washington appeared before the . . . — — Map (db m55794) HM
On Main Street at Bedford St, on the left when traveling north on Main Street.
Buchanan Baptist Church
Dedicated on October 8, 1876
Has been placed on the
National Register
Of Historic Places
By the United States
Department Of The Interior — — Map (db m140259) HM
Near Lowe Street (County Road T-1305) west of Main Street (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling west.
(preface)
On May 26, 1864, Union Gen. David Hunter marched south from Cedar Creek near Winchester to drive out Confederate forces, lay waste to the Shenandoah Valley, and destroy transportation facilities at Lynchburg. His raid was part of . . . — — Map (db m55777) HM
On Main St, 0.2 miles south of Bedford St, on the right when traveling south.
H.L. Williams House
circa 1924
Has been placed on the
National Register
Of Historic Places
By the United States
Department Of The Interior — — Map (db m140375) HM
On Main Street, 0.1 miles south of Lowe St, on the right when traveling north.
Kemble Building
circa 1840
Has been placed on the
National Register
Of Historic Places
By the United States Department Of The Interior — — Map (db m140358) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling south.
Looney's Ferry, established in 1742, was the first crossing over James River in this region. On the other side of the river was Cherry Tree Bottom, home of Colonel John Buchanan, and above the mouth of this creek stood Fort Fauquier, 1758-1763. — — Map (db m23823) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 11) at Bedford Street, on the right when traveling north on Main Street.
Moelick Building
Lot 40A
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
c. 1815 — — Map (db m189165) HM
On May 26, 1864, Union Gen, David Hunter marched south from Cedar Creek near Winchester to drive out Confederate forces, lay waste to the Shenandoah Valley, and destroy transportation facilities at Lynchburg. His raid was part of Gen. Ulysses S. . . . — — Map (db m67253) HM
On Main Street (U.S. 11) at 15th Street (County Road T-1313), on the right when traveling south on Main Street.
(preface)
On May 26, 1864, Union Gen. David Hunter marched south from Cedar Creek near Winchester to drive out Confederate forces, lay waste to the Shenandoah Valley, and destroy transportation facilities at Lynchburg. His raid was part of . . . — — Map (db m55779) HM
On Main St (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling south.
(East Face)
In Commemoration of the deeds and services of the Buchanan Company. Organized Oct. 1859, as the Mountain Rifles Virginia Volunteers. Enlisted May 1861, in the Confederate States Army, for twelve months, as Co. 1-H-28 Regiment . . . — — Map (db m23822) HM
On Main Street at Washington Street, on the left when traveling south on Main Street.
“The new church at Buchanan deserves a word of special notice. It is chiefly the result of female enterprise. A lady well known in Virginia who occasionally visited the town, fleeing from the sultry heat of summer, determined to effect by . . . — — Map (db m140359) HM
On Lowe Street (County Road T-1305) at Washington Street, on the right when traveling south on Lowe Street.
(preface)
On May 26, 1864, Union Gen. David Hunter marched south from Cedar Creek near Winchester to drive out Confederate forces, lay waste to the Shenandoah Valley, and destroy transportation facilities at Lynchburg. His raid was part of . . . — — Map (db m55775) HM
On Lee Highway (U.S. 11) north of Updike Lane, on the right when traveling north.
Robert Harvey established an agricultural and industrial complex here about 1790 that processed iron ore. The operation, known as Cloverdale Furnace, expanded in the 19th century under the ownership of John Tayloe III. About 150 enslaved African . . . — — Map (db m140513) HM
On Lee Hwy (U.S. 11) south of 2nd Avenue, on the right when traveling north.
This is the old road from Pennsylvania to the Yadkin Valley, over which in early times settlers passed going south. On it were the Black Horse Tavern and the Tinker Creek Presbyterian Church. — — Map (db m62980) HM
On Roanoke Road (U.S. 220), on the right when traveling south.
Daleville College began as a private school that Church of the Brethren educator Isaac N. H. Beahm conducted for the children of Benjamin F. Nininger and George Layman in 1890. The construction of school buildings began the following year. In 1892, . . . — — Map (db m63212) HM
On Roanoke Road (U.S. 220) south of International Parkway, in the median.
Half a mile west stood Greenfield, the home of Col. William Preston. According to local tradition, Stephen Rentfroe constructed a fort there in the 1740s. In 1759, Preston bought the property from Rentfroe and soon built a house that evolved into a . . . — — Map (db m62983) HM
On Main Street (Local Road T-630) at Roanoke Street (Local Road T-1204), on the left when traveling east on Main Street.
On 15 December 1970, fire gutted the 1848 Greek
Revival-style Botetourt County courthouse.
Amid the charred wreckage, in a secure vault,
the county’s historic records fortunately
survived almost unharmed. Because of the
near-loss of the . . . — — Map (db m84188) HM
On Breckinridge Mill Road (County Route 600) 1 mile south of Grove Hill Road (Route 606), on the left when traveling south.
Breckinridge Mill is a rare survivor of the grain and milling industry that figured significantly in the economy of antebellum Virginia. The three-and-a-half story brick structure was erected in 1822 for James Breckinridge, and is one of the oldest . . . — — Map (db m84225) HM
On Fincastle Road (U.S. 220) at West Main Street (Local Route T-630), on the right when traveling north on Fincastle Road.
Miller’s place here was selected as the county seat of Botetourt in 1770. In 1772 the town of Fincastle was established on land donated by Israel Christian and named for Lord Fincastle, eldest son of Governor Lord Dunmore. It was incorporated in . . . — — Map (db m84192) HM
On Roanoke Road (U.S. 220) at Trinity Road, on the right when traveling north on Roanoke Road.
Col. William Preston constructed Fort William nearby in 1755 during the French and Indian War (1754 – 1763) as one in a series of fortifications to protect Virginia’s frontier. A group of Indians paid a friendly visit in Oct. 1755, and Col. George . . . — — Map (db m62979) HM
On Botetourt Road (U.S. 220) at Houseman Street (County Route 1211), on the left when traveling north on Botetourt Road.
Near here is Santillane, one of Botetourt County’s
most distinguished properties. The Greek Revival house sits on a tract of land originally
owned by Colonel George Hancock, a member
of the United States Congress from 1793-1797.
In 1808 . . . — — Map (db m84203) HM
On Botetourt Road (Route 220) at Poor Farm Road (Route 681), in the median on Botetourt Road.
The (Roanoke) Valley Baptist Association was organized on 7 August 1841 at nearby Zion Hill Baptist Church. Seventeen congregations constituted the original fellowship of churches; during the next century and a half membership grew to more than . . . — — Map (db m84226) HM
On Botetourt Road (U.S. 220) north of Gala Loop Road (County Route 622), on the right when traveling north.
Norvel Lee was born in Botetourt County and grew
up two miles northeast of here. He joined the Army
Air Forces in 1943, was trained in Tuskegee, AL.
and later retired from the Air Force Reserve as a
lieutenant colonel. In 1948. Lee was arrested . . . — — Map (db m207830) HM
On Arcadia Road (Virginia Route 614) at Interstate 81, on the right when traveling west on Arcadia Road.
Cartmill’s Gap, just northwest, is named for Henry Cartmill, who acquired land nearby on Purgatory Creek. During the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), conflicts between Indians and settlers increased in this area. In July 1757, Shawnee Indians attacked . . . — — Map (db m206612) HM
On Arcadia Road (Virginia Route 614) near Lee Highway (Virginia Route 055), on the right when traveling west. Reported permanently removed.
This gap, just west, is named for Henry Cartmill who acquired land nearby on Purgatory Creek. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), conflicts between Indians and settlers increased in this area. In 1757, Indians laid waste to several nearby . . . — — Map (db m18817) HM
On Lee Highway (Route F055 Frontage Road) south of Plank Road (County Route 610), on the left when traveling north.
Nearby stood Capt. Audley Paul’s fort, built
in 1757 during the French and Indian War
(1754-1763) as one in a series of fortifications
to protect Virginia's frontier. Paul served as
a lieutenant in Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock’s
ill-fated . . . — — Map (db m43110) HM
On Lee Highway (U.S. 11), on the right when traveling south.
Near here took place the historic meeting of John C. Moomaw and C. M. Thomas that led to the termination of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad at Big Lick (now Roanoke), April, 1881. This was the beginning of the city of Roanoke. — — Map (db m23824) HM
On Blue Ridge Boulevard (U.S. 221) at Avery Row (Virginia Road 1400), in the median on Blue Ridge Boulevard.
Botetourt County Formed in 1769 from Augusta, and named for Lord Botetourt, governor of Virginia, 1768-1770. Buchanan, in this county, was the western terminus of the noted James River and Kanawha Canal.
Roanoke Copunty Formed in 1838 . . . — — Map (db m228098) HM
