Damascus in Washington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Transition from Rail to Trail
Photographed By Tom Bosse, September 3, 2022
1. Transition from Rail to Trail Marker
Inscription.
Transition from Rail to Trail. . The Virginia Carolina Railway which is now the Virginia Creeper Trail was originally built to haul timber cut from what is now the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. It is estimated that between 1907 and 1930 approximately 15 million board feet of lumber were removed in a typical year. In 1912 National Lumber Magazine reported that Washington County, Virginia produced more lumber than any county in the United States and more than the entire state of Pennsylvania. The forest, unlike mineral resources, is renewable. As the once clear-cut forest regenerated into a mature wood land, its recreation potential was recognized. The rail-bed which was the means of removing huge amounts of wealth from the forest is now returning ecotourism dollars to the region. The economy of Damascus was severely hurt when several factories closed during the 1960's. Tourism related businesses, based on the popularity of the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Appalachian Trail, have played an important role in the town's economic recovery. Today, the 17-mile portion of the Virginia Creeper Trail outside of the Mount Roger's National Recreation area is jointly owned by the towns of Abingdon and Damascus. The US Forest Service manages the balance of the trail between Damascus and the North Carolina state line.
The Virginia Carolina Railway which is now the Virginia Creeper Trail was originally built to haul timber cut from what is now the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. It is estimated that between 1907 and 1930 approximately 15 million board feet of lumber were removed in a typical year. In 1912 National Lumber Magazine reported that Washington County, Virginia produced more lumber than any county in the United States and more than the entire state of Pennsylvania. The forest, unlike mineral resources, is renewable. As the once clear-cut forest regenerated into a mature wood land, its recreation potential was recognized. The rail-bed which was the means of removing huge amounts of wealth from the forest is now returning ecotourism dollars to the region. The economy of Damascus was severely hurt when several factories closed during the 1960's. Tourism related businesses, based on the popularity of the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Appalachian Trail, have played an important role in the town's economic recovery. Today, the 17-mile portion of the Virginia Creeper Trail outside of the Mount Roger's National Recreation area is jointly owned by the towns of Abingdon and Damascus. The US Forest Service manages the balance of the trail between Damascus and the North Carolina state line.
Location. 36° 37.773′ N, 81° 46.714′ W. Marker is in Damascus, Virginia, in Washington County. Marker is on Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail west of Mountain View Drive, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Damascus VA 24236, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 22, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 82 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 22, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
