Damascus Adventure Part 1: Damascus Old Mill Inn

Judy and I are just back from an exhilarating

trip to Damascus, Virginia.  We stayed at the

Damascus Old Mill Inn, just 15 miles from the

Black's Fort Bed & Breakfast in Abingdon where

we stayed a year ago.

Here's how you're welcomed to Damascus (which

is just a few miles from Bristol, Tennessee, a hotbed

of NASCAR racing.

And here's the welcome to the Inn, which

delighted us in every detail.  This blog post 

will highlight the Inn itself.  In the next few

days I'll also be blogging about the towns of

Abingdon and Damascus, the Virginia Creeper

Trail, and Backbone Rock and Waterfall.

Our 3rd floor room was furnished with century old
hand-carved bed and armoire.

Our 3rd floor private balcony overlooked the 200 foot
waterfall that once powered Mock's Mill.

This is the upstream view of Laurel Creek
from our balcony.  

This colony of ducks has a happy room in the still
waters above the dam.

The old mill was restored and converted into a
restaurant and inn in 2001. 

The riverside view of the inn.  Our balcony was identical
to the highest one you can see here, and adjacent to it.

The dining room and pub were adorned with commissioned
paintings that portray the mill and other area highlights.
This one of the old mill is painted on boards that were
part of the original mill.

This depicts the Virginia Creeper train at the old
Damascus railway station.

This picture of a historic "rock school" was painted
on a coarse cloth.

The next two were painted on reclaimed metal
ceiling panels.  Note the indentions.  This is an
early area sawmill.

This is one of the restored Norfolk & Western cabooses.

This is the old mill in which we stayed, as it would
have appeared decades ago.

This is the chute from which  ground flour or corn meal
would emerge in the old mill.

Original beams and timbers were intact throughout
the building.

Wooden posts like these played some role in
feeding corn and other foods to be ground into
the millstones.

These are the original hardwood floors.

The dining room had excellent views of Laurel Creek
and the waterfall.  There was also ample outdoor seating.

Our hostess pointed out this painting in the pub.  It shows
Backbone Rock, which we would visit.

The artist had cleverly shown herself at the picnic table.

As we drove around town, we happened upon a large
mural obviously painted by the same artist.  This one
is the first thing bikers see when entering Damascus on
the Virginia Creeper bike trail.

It conjures up images of "moonlight over Damascus"
and gives directions to the Old Mill Inn.

You can read all about this fine and historic

establishment at http://damascusinn.com/.

We enjoyed a continental breakfast there each

morning and had a fine dinner there our final 

evening in town.  The staff was friendly, helpful,

and informative.  It's definitely the premier place

to stay in Damascus and has all the atmosphere

that should accompany such a grand adventure.

Stay tuned for the three accompanying blogs.