photos: Tom Field
Botetourt’s history champ By Tom Field
Lynsey Allie directs historical preservation and story of Botetourt County—a history as rich and deep as any in the nation. “A lot of us were Botetourt residents and didn’t know it.” Lynsey Crantz Allie is talking about Botetourt County, and one of the most interesting facts of which most folks outside of this area aren’t aware. That is—Botetourt County used to be quite a bit larger than its current 546 square miles. How much bigger? Get this: founded in 1770, and after a post-Revolutionary War extended jurisdiction, Botetourt County went all the
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way to the Mississippi River, encompassing West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, even parts of Illinois and Wisconsin. So, yes, indeed, there are generations of Americans with roots and connections to Botetourt County, Virginia far beyond the residents and families tied to the current map. The draw to that history is what keeps Lynsey Allie busy.
