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A picture paints a thousand words and Ron Lucas of Fincastle has written an epic with the renovation of "Academy Hill," a Victorian home built by J. Figgatt circa 1872. The property is also known as "Bolton's Hill" because the Bolton family, an important Fincastle family, owned it for years during the early to mid 20th century. It has gone through several owners since and the house was a shadow of its former glory until Ron Lucas purchased it and began a total makeover for the grand old lady.

The property was part of a larger parcel that at one time that crossed Church Street and encompassed acreage surrounding Godwin Cemetery. For many long time residents the name Academy Hill is more associated with the other side of the road and other local landmarks, but according to the deed and courthouse documents, these are the property's facts of the old times.

The house is easily seen from US 220 the Roanoke Road just south of Fincastle on the hill behind the Happy Food Mart. With recent construction, renovation and acreage clearing, the house with the newly painted rust colored tower, has a 360 degree view of Fincastle and environs. It is spectacular.

There are 14 rooms in the house that Lucas gutted down to a skeleton and re-framed, re-leveled  and rebuilt so that the sturdy old home is now restored to better than her former grandeur. "This is a 19th century home upgraded to twenty first century code standards," said Lucas.The renovation began on May 15 and Lucas hopes to finish by the end of October. He has added a two car garage and restored the front wrap around porch as well. The porch beckons for wicker and oak rockers and baskets of Boston Ferns to waft lazily on the breeze and polite conversation and laughter to be served up with iced tea.

The elimination of scrub hardwoods, underbrush and cedars restored the best of all-- Mother Nature's painting that surrounds the home on every turn. The quaint town of Fincastle, rolling hills, mountains and an infinite blue sky on the day of the interview indicated though the interior of the home was gorgeous what lies beyond in the scenic landscape is inspirational.

"We have restored every baseboard and trim in the house," Lucas stated. The task has has been monumental but Lucas believes that whomever purchases the home that will be marketed as a family dwelling or Bed and Breakfast will be happy with the restoration. For a gallery of the pictures Lucas took during the restoration, click here. The photos of the colored room walls are prior to the restoration.