It was Daniel Boone who blazed a trail in 1759 from east Tennessee to what is now Damascus. Mock’s Mill was the town’s original name and was first settled in 1793 and was renamed Damascus in 1886. In fact, descendants of the first families still live in the area. By 1984 the Norfolk and Western Railway had taken up all the rails from its Abingdon Brand and a rails-to-rails sytem had been established. The Virginia Creeper Trail had become a economic force in Damascus. Fast forward 60+ years when the building now housing Brinkwaters was built as a grocery store for the locals. Over the years, this mid-century gem has lived many lives, each filling a need for the community at that point in time.

The Damascus Post Office is located on the Appalachian Trail and fulfills a very signficant need for hikers who are through-hiking Georgia to Maine. The town is known as the Western Gateway to the Mount Rogers National Recreation area. It leads to miles and miles of additional trails including Grayson Highlands State Park. Trails coming through Damascus include the Appalachian Trail, Virginia Creeper Trail, Iron Mountain Trail, TransAmerica or Transcontinental (76) Bicycle Trail, Daniel Boone Trail, The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail and the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.

The current owners purchased the building with the vision to create what Brinkwaters is today — a destination where visitors can come to unwind, relax and share in the beauty of Damascus with the locals.