Again, more people moved away. The railroad pulled up its tracks in the 1970's. Still more people moved away. Today there are around 900 residents in Damascus. The old railroad route is now the Virginia Creeper Trail.
Many people come to town to ride and walk the trail.
The national forest is a very popular vacation area. Many more people come to camp, fish and look at the forest covered mountains. The history of Damascus has always been centered on the rivers and forested mountains, and it always will be. It's only natural. Sponsored by the Washington County Historical Society, brief histories of area communities were compiled for local school libraries.