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2022 SPECIAL SESSION I
WHEREAS, the Town of Fincastle has made numerous contributions to the history, heritage, culture, and economy of the Commonwealth over the course of the past 250 years; and
WHEREAS, during the westward migration of the 18th century, many settlers were impeded by the rugged barrier of the Allegheny Mountains; and
WHEREAS, many of those settlers came to appreciate the beauty of the Great Valley and decided to end their westward journey and settle in the lush region between the Alleghenies and the Blue Ridge Mountains; and
WHEREAS, as a result, southwestern Virginia and the southern Shenandoah Valley became home to many settlers of primarily English, German, and Scots Irish descent; and
WHEREAS, in the 1750s, John Miller erected a sawmill that attracted new settlers and other enterprises, leading to the creation of a small settlement known as Miller’s Mill; and
WHEREAS, an act of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1769 established Botetourt County within the existing boundaries of Augusta County, with the newly established county named for Lord Botetourt, the governor of the colony of Virginia at the time; and
WHEREAS, Fincastle was established in 1772 and was named after George, Lord Fincastle, the son of Virginia’s royal lieutenant governor, Lord Dunmore; and
WHEREAS, local landowner Israel Christian ceded 45 acres for the establishment of the seat of Botetourt County, designating locations for a courthouse, a jail, and an Anglican church; and
WHEREAS, by 1784, Fincastle boasted 26 log dwelling houses, 21 cabins, one double cabin, and 11 frame dwelling houses, along with several taverns, ordinaries, and other commercial endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Fincastle soon became a major stop along various pioneer trails heading south and west, becoming known as the “last outpost before the great wilderness”; and
WHEREAS, Fincastle became a center of political debate and discourse during the colonial period and influenced events before, during, and after the American Revolution; and
WHEREAS, many of Fincastle’s buildings from the colonial and antebellum periods and the Victorian era offer a panorama of American architectural history, while historical landmarks, such as the courthouse reportedly designed by Thomas Jefferson, offer a window into Botetourt County’s storied past; and
WHEREAS, Fincastle still serves as the county seat of Botetourt County and remains committed to historical preservation and protection and to the promotion of its rich and diverse heritage; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Town of Fincastle hereby be commended on the occasion of its 250th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Town of Fincastle as an expression of the House of Delegates’ admiration for the community’s unique role in the history of the Commonwealth.