Botetourt County Courthouse Fire

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 Botetourt County records, however, the Virginia General Assembly passed the Virginia Public Records Act in 1975. The act mandated that deeds, wills, and other vital records be inventoried and microfilmed and copies of the film stored permanently in the Library of Virginia in Richmond for safekeeping. The Botetourt County courthouse was reconstructed and reoccupied in 1975.