ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 9, 1993                   TAG: 9312090381
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WALKING TOUR FEATURES HISTORIC BUILDINGS

Historic Fincastle Inc. will host a Christmas tour of four churches, four 19th-century houses, two 18th-century cabins and the Botetourt County Museum on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. The Botetourt County Chorus will perform Christmas music at the museum at 3 p.m.

All 11 sites are within walking distance of each other, and each site will be marked with a numbered sign.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church at 111 South Roanoke St. is the first stop on the tour. Built in 1837, the brick structure's arched windows reveal the Gothic Revival architectural influence of the period.

The Botetourt County Museum next door to the old District Court building at 1 West Main St. housed the law office of Gen. James Breckinridge from 1763 to 1833. The museum will be open from 2 to 7 p.m. the day of the tour.

Other stops include: 20 East Main St., the residence of Paul and Terry Tucker, built in 1880; 25 East Main, Mitch and Bobbie Bowman's festively decorated white-brick home that was built in the 1870s; 45 East Main, the Fincastle Baptist Church, built in 1896 in the Victorian Romanesque style; the Fincastle Presbyterian Church at 108 East Back St. overlooking Big Spring and Jockey Alley, where horse-trading took place in Fincastle's early days.

Also on the tour are: 82 Jefferson St., where Willie and Brenda Simmons will display their private collection of photographs and Fincastle memorabilia; Sally Waid's house at 313 East Main St., which was built in 1834 and features an ornately carved mantel with fluted posts; the Early Cabin at 121 East Murray St. that is a museum and headquarters for Historic Fincastle; 17 South Church St., a log cabin built around 1791 and later donated to the historic group; and the Fincastle Methodist Church at 136 South Church St., which was built in 1840 in the Greek Revival style.

Tour tickets, which cost $8, gifts and souvenirs will be on sale at the Early Cabin. Tickets also will be available at each tour site.

Historical Fincastle will use proceeds to acquire and preserve historic buildings within the town limits, said tour chairwoman Mary Westerman.

For more information, call 473-2772. 


 by CNB