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About 1912, people who came to Thayer Company, Smethport Extract Co., and Damascus Lumber Co., and others went on a picnic up the Laurel via the narrow gauge train.

Image of a promotional flyer advertising the first WTFF in 1931

"The festival thrived. In 1932 an estimated 6,000 people were present on the second day. At the opening in 1933, there were 800 folk musicians and 10,000 people were expected. Many rare tunes and ballads had been heard during the two previous…

Quinn Hawkesworth on the swinging bridge spanning the Holston River, near the terminus of Smith Creek Rd.

Brief historical sketch of Rambo family. According to Mrs. Hall among the earliest settlers in Damascus. Accompanying image shows the Rambo family's log home, site of the earliest Post Office in Damascus.

Richard Chase, a folklorist who brought a number of folk traditions to the WTFF, primarily dance and drama. His influence in festival programming waxed as the influence of Annabel Buchanan's began to wane in the latter half of the thirties.

"Because poets and poetry have been relegated to the fringes of society and the publishing world today...you won't see these writers on Oprah or The New York Times bestseller lists. But what you will see here is art-something true, often brave,…

"In 1920, when action was taken by interested citizens to begin the building of a new school, Mr. and Mrs. Backer gave the town the lots for the school site and the athletic field (Backer Park).

The Sinking Spring Cemetery marks the site of the first church building bearing the Sinking Spring name. Built as a front-log structure in the early 1700’s, it was supplanted by a larger building sometime in the 1780’s. This continued as the church…

"The fort, built in 1776, stood a short distance to the south. Here the first Court of Washington County was held January 29, 1777."