About 1913

No. 112 East Laurel Avenue

Built in 1886, No. 112 East Laurel is one of the oldest structures in Damascus and its location on the "main street" of Damascus is ideal for visitors who want to experience all the town has to offer by bike or on foot -- the Virginia Creeper Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and all the local eateries are barely a stone's throw from the property. The house was completely remodeled in 2020-2021, and the result is a property that retains all the beautiful charm of the original structure (including stunning raised panel woodwork throughout 90% of the house) AND fully modernized amenities.

​Damascus is beautifully situated in the rugged, rustic mountainous region of southwest Virginia. Natives, tourists, and newcomers have long been attracted to the lovely and diverse natural areas in and around the town. Scenic views of the mountains, a recovering and maturing forest, and an abundance of unspoiled natural streams all meld harmoniously with the built environment to create a unique sense of place and a shared need to belong and care about both community and the natural world.

Historians have recorded that the earliest known inhabitants to roam the area were the Cherokee and the Shawnee, fierce enemies who contested rights to the area as late as 1768.

​Daniel Boone opened the area to European settlement when he blazed a trail, in 1759, from east Tennessee through the Iron Mountain water gap into what is now Damascus and Abingdon and on to Kentucky. One of the early settlers, Henry Mock, was following this trail on his way to Kentucky with his family. The family was so impressed with the beauty of the area where the Laurel and Beaverdam Creeks converged that they decided to stay, buy land, build a home, and build a grist mill and sawmill – both powered by the flow of Laurel Creek. The first name given to the community was Mock’s Mill.

The name of the community changed to Damascus in 1886 when Confederate Brigadier General John D. Imboden purchased downtown Mock’s Mill from Henry A. Mock, Jr and drew up a map and plans for sale of lots. Imboden, one of Lee’s chief officers in the War Between the States, had become a land and development speculator following the war.

Address

112 East Laurel Ave.
Damascus, VA 24236


Contacts

Email: 112eastlaurel@gmail.com