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Botetourt County, Virginia facts for kids

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Botetourt County
Botetourt County Courthouse
Botetourt County Courthouse
Flag of Botetourt County
Flag
Official seal of Botetourt County
Seal
Official logo of Botetourt County
Logo
Map of Virginia highlighting Botetourt County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Virginia
Founded 1770
Named for Lord Botetourt
Seat Fincastle
Largest community Cloverdale
Area
 • Total 546 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Land 541 sq mi (1,400 km2)
 • Water 4.7 sq mi (12 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 33,596
 • Density 61.53/sq mi (23.757/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 6th

Botetourt County (/ˈbɒtətɒt/ BOT-ə-tot) is a US county that lies in the Roanoke Region of Virginia. Located in the mountainous portion of the state, the county is bordered by two major ranges, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.

Botetourt County was created in 1770 from part of Augusta County and was named for Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt. It originally comprised a vast area, which included the southern portion of present-day West Virginia and all of Kentucky. Portions were set off to form new counties beginning in 1772, until the current borders were established in 1851.

Botetourt County is part of the Roanoke Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the county seat is the town of Fincastle. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 33,596.

History

Botetourt County Virginia 1895
Botetourt County, Virginia, from 1895 state map

First proposed in the House of Burgesses in 1767, Botetourt County was created in 1770 from Augusta County. The county is named for Norborne Berkeley, 4th Baron Botetourt, who served as governor of the colony of Virginia from 1768 to 1770, when he died suddenly while in office.

In 1772, the county was reduced to the area east of the New and Kanawha rivers by the creation of Fincastle County. Most of that latter county became the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1792. The other counties established directly from portions of Botetourt County are: Rockbridge (1778), Bath (1791), Alleghany (1822), Roanoke (1833), and Craig (1851).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 546 square miles (1,410 km2), of which 541 square miles (1,400 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.9%) is water. The Blue Ridge Mountains run along the eastern part of the county, while the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians run along the western portion. The two mountain ranges come close together, separated by the town of Buchanan and the James River.

The James River originates in Botetourt County, near the village of Iron Gate, just south of the Alleghany County line and near the merger of the Cowpasture River and the Jackson River. The James River runs south until Eagle Rock, where it turns east and meanders through the county, passing Springwood and James River High School until entering Buchanan. In Buchanan, the river turns northward and flows into Rockbridge County towards Glasgow.

Botetourt County is a part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the southern parts of the county have become increasingly suburban in recent decades. Much of the area's former farmland and orchards have been developed into residential subdivisions and businesses.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

  • Blue Ridge Parkway (part)
  • George Washington National Forest (part)
  • Jefferson National Forest (part)

Major highways

  • I-81
  • US 11
  • US 220
  • US 221
  • US 460
  • SR 43

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 10,524
1800 10,427 −0.9%
1810 13,301 27.6%
1820 13,589 2.2%
1830 16,354 20.3%
1840 11,679 −28.6%
1850 14,908 27.6%
1860 11,516 −22.8%
1870 11,329 −1.6%
1880 14,809 30.7%
1890 14,854 0.3%
1900 17,161 15.5%
1910 17,727 3.3%
1920 16,557 −6.6%
1930 15,457 −6.6%
1940 16,447 6.4%
1950 15,766 −4.1%
1960 16,715 6.0%
1970 18,193 8.8%
1980 23,270 27.9%
1990 24,992 7.4%
2000 30,496 22.0%
2010 33,148 8.7%
2020 33,596 1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010 2020

2020 census

Botetourt County, Virginia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 31,212 30,506 94.16% 90.80%
Black or African American alone (NH) 987 905 2.98% 2.69%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 76 43 0.23% 0.13%
Asian alone (NH) 174 234 0.52% 0.70%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 3 0.01% 0.01%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 9 102 0.03% 0.30%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 332 1,027 1.00% 3.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 356 776 1.07% 2.31%
Total 33,148 33,596 100.00% 100.00%

Education

Botetourt County Public Schools operates public schools serving the county, with students attending one of two high schools:

  • Lord Botetourt High School opened in Daleville in the fall of 1959 and serves the southern parts of the county, including the communities of Blue Ridge, Cloverdale, parts of Fincastle and Troutville, and the northernmost suburbs of Roanoke.
  • James River High School in the Springwood area of Buchanan also opened in 1959. It serves the northern parts of the county including Buchanan, Eagle Rock, Springwood, and parts of Fincastle and Troutville.

Fire, Emergency medical services, and Law enforcement

Botetourt County Fire & EMS uses a combination of career staff and volunteers to provide fire protection, emergency medical services, fire safety education, swiftwater rescue, and other emergency services to the county. The department operates out of seven stations with a range of fire apparatus and ambulances to provide these services.

Botetourt County Sheriff's Office is the policing body within Botetourt County. They are stationed in Fincastle, Virginia along with the county jail. The Sheriff is Matthew T. Ward, who was elected in November 2019. Botetourt County Sheriff's Office works closely with Virginia State Police, as the county only has 69 officers within their force. The county also has their own Emergency Communications Center, which serves to take 9-1-1 calls and help direct law enforcement and first responders to emergency scenes.

Communities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

  • George A. Anderson (1853–1896), United States Congressman from Illinois
  • Samuel Barton (1749–1810), Explorer, pioneer, early settler of Nashville and patriot
  • George Louis Alfonso Pogue (1887–1956), African American doctor who opened an integrated pharmacy in the 1920s in Bedford
  • Edward Rumsey (1796–1868), United States Representative from Kentucky
  • Angela Tincher, Virginia Tech softball pitcher from 2005 to 2008
  • Matthew Ramsey, Songwriter and lead vocalist of the band Old Dominion

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Botetourt para niños

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