Fincastle, might be a small town, but it holds a big role as the county seat of Botetourt County. It's comfortably tucked into the Roanoke metro area, meaning you get the perks of city life nearby while enjoying Fincastle's quiet, beautiful atmosphere. The town is well-known for its wonderfully kept downtown and historic buildings. People who want a slower way of life in a friendly community full of heart and history are often drawn to Fincastle.

Fincastle’s story starts way back in the mid-1700s. That’s when settlers, including Scotch-Irish and German families, traveled south from Pennsylvania to make their homes here. An early settler named John Miller built a sawmill, and this became the heart of the young community. In 1770, his home was even used as the first courthouse when Botetourt County was formed. Just two years after that, a man named Israel Christian gave 45 acres of his land to create the streets and lots for the new town. Fincastle got its name to honor George, Lord Fincastle, who was the son of Virginia’s governor at the time, Lord Dunmore.

Important buildings started going up early on. The first courthouse, made of logs, was built in 1773 right in the center of town. Soon after, a brick Anglican church was built on land also given by Israel Christian. Even though that church closed for a while after the Revolutionary War, it was later taken over by a Presbyterian group and given the Greek Revival style look it still has today. This mix of old and new is a big part of what makes Fincastle so special.