Carolyn R. Wilson | For the Washington County News
DAMASCUS, Va. — A Damascus historian is giving residents and visitors another good reason to walk or bike through what’s been dubbed “the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.”
kAm#:492C5 $>:E9[ g`[ :D :?DECF>6?E2= :? 4C62E:?8 2 9:DE@CJ E@FC E92E DA@E=:89ED A@:?ED @7 :?E6C6DE :? E96 D>2== $@FE9H6DE ':C8:?:2 E@H? — 2 E@FC:DE 56DE:?2E:@? E92E 9@=5D BF:E6 2 3:E @7 9:DE@CJ 7C@> E96 52JD H96? E96 >:== E@H? E9C:G65 @? =F>36C 2?5 E96 C2:=C@25]k^Am
Richard Smith, 81, helped install 12 signs with historical information on Damascus landmarks to create a unique walking history tour for the town.
Carolyn R. Wilson | For the Washington County News
kAm$>:E9 :?G:E6D C6D:56?ED 2?5 G:D:E@CD E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 s2>2D4FD w:DE@CJ %@FC[ 2 D6=7\8F:565 E@FC E92E’D =:<6 2 ;@FC?6J 324< :? E:>6]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE A92D6 @7 E96 AC@;64E 92D :?4=F565 E96 :?DE2==2E:@? @7 `a 4FDE@>\56D:8?65 D:8?D A=2465 2=@?8 2 a\>:=6 DEC6E49 :? E@H?] t249 D:8?[ >62DFC:?8 C@F89=J a 766E 3J c 766E[ :D A=2465 2E 2 =@42E:@? 362C:?8 9:DE@C:42= :>A@CE2?46]k^Am
kAm!2A6C 2?5 @?=:?6 >2AD H:== 36 2G2:=23=6 368:??:?8 :? ~4E@36C 2D 2 C676C6?46 7@C 6249 D:8?] |2AD H:== 36 2G2:=23=6 2E >@DE 3FD:?6DD6D :? E@H?]k^Am
kAm“(6 2=D@ H2?E E@ 56G6=@A 2? @?=:?6 AC6D6?46 E9C@F89 D@4:2= >65:2 2?5 2 H63D:E6[” $>:E9 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 E@FC 368:?D 2=@?8 {2FC6= rC66< @? w:89H2J dg ;FDE 36=@H E96 C65 423@@D6 2?5 >62?56CD E9C@F89 E@H?[ 6?5:?8 2E s2>2D4FD ~=5 |:==]k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 96=A @7 9:DE@C:2? t=62?@C vC2DD6==: 2?5 @E96C 7C:6?5D :? E@H?[ $>:E9 4@>A@D65 2 3C:67 9:DE@CJ 7@C 6249 D:8?[ :?4=F5:?8 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE E96 E@H?’D @=5 C2:=C@25 H2E6C E2?<D[ E96 7@F?56CD @7 s2>2D4FDj E96 EC2:? 56A@E[ w2DD:?86C {F>36C[ #@4< $49@@=[ q62G6C s2> r96>:42=[ ':C8:?:2 rC66A6C %C2:=[ EC2:=D @7 s2>2D4FD[ {68:@? xD=2?5[ 49FC496D @7 s2>2D4FD[ {2FC6= pG6?F6 2?5 s2>2D4FD ~=5 |:==]k^Am
kAmq@3 rC2:8 @7 p3:?85@? 56D:8?65 E96 DECF4EFC6 @7 E96 D:8?D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 >6E2= C@@7D]k^Am
kAm%C2:=9625 s6D:8?D :? s2>2D4FD 4C62E65 E96 8C2A9:4 2CE 7@C E96 D:8?D]k^Am
kAm$>:E9 D2:5 E96 AC@;64E 92D 366? 7F?565 6?E:C6=J 3J 5@?2E:@?D] $@>6 :?5:G:5F2=D 92G6 96=A65 A2J 7@C E96 D:8?D E@ 9@?@C 2 =@G65 @?6 @C 2 A=246] x? 255:E:@?[ E96 E@H? @7 s2>2D4FD 92D 96=A65 H:E9 4@DED]k^Am
Twelve stops throughout Damascus allow hikers and other pedestrians to learn more about the history of Damascus. Richard Smith, who helped write the history markers, hopes volunteers will create more over time.
Contributed Photo
k9am!C6D6CG:?8 9:DE@CJk^9am
kAm$>:E9[ H9@ 92D =:G65 :? s2>2D4FD 7@C >@C6 E92? 2 564256[ H2D 3@E96C65 E@ 962C A6@A=6 :? E@H? D2J E96J 5:D42C565 3@I6D @7 @=5 A9@E@D 2?5 @E96C >6>@C23:=:2 ;FDE 3642FD6 E96J 8@E :? E96 H2J]k^Am
kAmw6 <?6H 96 925 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8 E@ 96=A AC6D6CG6 E96 E@H?’D C:49 9:DE@CJ]k^Am
kAm$>:E9 8@E E96 :562 7@C E96 9:DE@CJ E@FC 5FC:?8 D@>6 @7 9:D H2=<D E9C@F89 E96 E@H? 23@FE 7:G6 J62CD 28@]k^Am
kAm“(96? x H2=<65 2C@F?5 s2>2D4FD[ x H@F=5 D66 D@>6 DEC2?86 CF:?D — 4@?4C6E6 DECF4EFC6D E92E H6C6 D@CE @7 >JDE6C:@FD — 2?5 x H@F=5 2D< A6@A=6 H92E E96J H6C6] x 8@E >2?J 5:776C6?E DE@C:6D 2?5 E9@F89E :E H@F=5 36 8C62E :7 D@>6@?6 H@F=5 C6D62C49 H92E E96D6 A=246D 24EF2==J 2C6[” D2:5 $>:E9]k^Am
kAm“wF?5C65D @7 A6@A=6 H2=< 3J E96D6 E9:?8D 6G6CJ 52J] (9J ?@E AFE FA 2 D:8? E@ 96=A 2?DH6C E96:C BF6DE:@?Dn” 96 2D<65]k^Am
kAm“$@ x ;FDE 5:5 :E[ D=@H=J[ D=@H=J] xE H2D >F49 >@C6 4@>A=:42E65 E92? x 6IA64E65]”k^Am
kAmw6 2D<65 2 =@E @7 BF6DE:@?D 2?5 8@E 2 A=6E9@C2 @7 2?DH6CD[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96 EC:4< :D E@ DF>>2C:K6 E96 5:776C6?E DE@C:6D 2?5 ECJ E@ 36 2D 244FC2E6 2D A@DD:3=6]”k^Am
kAmw6 8C25F2==J 42>6 FA H:E9 2 =:DE @7 AC:@C:E:6D 7@C E96 D:8?D[ D@>6 @7 H9:49 H6C6 :?DA:C65 3J 9:D @H? A6CD@?2= :?E6C6DED]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE D:8? 96 4C62E65 C6AC6D6?ED E96 H2E6C E2?<D FD65 5FC:?8 E96 E@H?’D C2:=C@25 52JD]k^Am
kAm“x <6AE 2D<:?8 A6@A=6 23@FE 4@?4C6E6 DECF4EFC6D ?62C E96 ':C8:?:2 rC66A6C %C2:=] $@>6 A6@A=6 925 2 86?6C2= :562[ 3FE ?@ @?6 <?6H DA64:7:42==J H92E E96J H6C6 FD65 7@C]k^Am
kAm“%FC?D @FE[ :E H2D E96 7@F?52E:@? 7@C E96 @=5 H2E6C E2?<D E92E H6C6 FD65 H96? DE62> EC2:?D DE@AA65 E@ C6A=6?:D9 H2E6C]”k^Am
One of the signs Richard Smith created for the Damascus History Tour honors the many churches located in town.
Carolyn R. Wilson | For the Washington County News
kAm$>:E9 :D 72D4:?2E65 3J E96 DE@CJ @7 E96 7:CDE 6=64EC:4:EJ A=2?E :? s2>2D4FD]k^Am
kAmw6 925 ?@E:465 2 4@?4C6E6 492??6= F?56C EC6DE=6 }@] `e @? E96 ':C8:?:2 rC66A6C %C2:=]k^Am
kAm“x =62C?65 E9:D :D 2 4@?4C6E6 492??6= E92E 8@6D D6G6C2= 9F?5C65 J2C5D FADEC62> H96C6 J@F’== 7:?5 E96 C6>2:?D @7 2? @=5 >6492?:D> E92E 5:C64E65 E96 7=@H @7 H2E6C :?E@ E96 492??6=] (2E6C H@F=5 7=@H :?E@ 2 86?6C2E@C E92E H@F=5 EFC? 2?5 AC@5F46 5:C64E 4FCC6?E 7@C 23@FE `a 72>:=:6D :? E@H?]k^Am
kAm“xE’D :?E6C6DE:?8 E92E =62G6D H@F=5 A:=6 FA 2?5 D=@H E96 H2E6C 7=@H[ 42FD:?8 2 C6D:56?E E@ 92G6 E@ C2<6 2H2J E96 =62G6D E@ 86E 2 36EE6C 4FCC6?E]k^Am
kAm“%92E’D 2 C62= G:6H @7 H92E :E H2D =:<6 96C6 >@C6 E92? `__ J62CD 28@[” D2:5 $>:E9]k^Am
kAm“q62G6C r96>:42= (@C<D H2D 2 >2DD:G6 A=2?E[ 6>A=@J:?8 9F?5C65D @7 A6@A=6[” 96 D2:5] “%96C6’D ?@E9:?8 E96C6 ?@H 3FE 2? 6>AEJ 7:6=5] (6 AFE FA 2 D:8? D9@H:?8 H92E :E =@@<65 =:<6 E96?]”k^Am
kAmp?@E96C :>A@CE2?E =@42E:@? @? E96 E@FC :D s2>2D4FD ~=5 |:==[ 2 H2E6CD:56 C6DE2FC2?E 2?5 G6?F6 7@C 6?E6CE2:?>6?E E92E 3682? >@C6 E92? 2 9F?5C65 J62CD 28@ 2D |@4<’D |:==[ 2 H2E6C\A@H6C65 >:== 7@C 8C:?5:?8 4@C? 2?5 H962E]k^Am
kAm$>:E9 :?4=F565 2 D:8? 7@C {68:@? xD=2?5[ 2 7@42= A@:?E 7@C s2>2D4FD C64C62E:@? 2?5 D@4:2= 6G6?ED 36EH66? `ha_D 2?5 E96 `he_D]k^Am
kAmr@>A=6E:?8 E96 AC@;64E 925 :ED D92C6 @7 5:77:4F=E:6D]k^Am
kAm“%96C6 H6C6 E96 =@8:DE:42= AC@3=6>D[ =:<6 ECJ:?8 E@ 5:8 9@=6D :? E96 2?4:6?E C:G6C365 E92E s2>2D4FD D:ED @?[” $>:E9 D2:5] “%96C6 H6C6 >2?J C@F?5 C@4<D[ D@>6 G6CJ =2C86]k^Am
kAm“rC62E:?8 E96 E6IE H2D :?E6C6DE:?8] t249 E6IE @? E96D6 D:8?D 92D 8@?6 E9C@F89 2E =62DE `_ C6HC:E6D 27E6C 36:?8 C6G:6H65 3J 2 E62> @7 A6@A=6[ >2?J =@42= 9:DE@C:2?D H9@ H6C6 G6CJ AC64:D6 :? E96:C 4@CC64E:@?D]”k^Am
kAmp 76H >@C6 D:8?D 2C6 ?66565 E@ 4@>A=6E6 E96 AC@;64E[ 3FE 96’D 9@A:?8 2 G@=F?E66C H:== A:4< FA H96C6 96’D =67E @77]k^Am
kAm“x 2> 9@A:?8 D@>6@?6 H:== DE6A 7@CH2C5 E@ 2DDF>6 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C 6IA2?5:?8 E9:D E@FC H:E9 E9C66 @C 7@FC >@C6 D:8?D] (6 92G6 D6G6C2= DF886DE:@?D C625J[ 3FE x 2> ?@H >@G:?8 @? E@ @E96C AC:@C:E:6D[” $>:E9 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%9:D 92D 366? 2 72D4:?2E:?8 6IA=@C2E:@?]”k^Am
Carolyn R. Wilson is a freelance writer in Glade Spring, Virginia. Contact her at news@washconews.com .
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
