On August 30, 2025 from 1-3PM Friends of Blackwater will be hosting a Grand Opening Event celebrating the new Tucker Heritage Art Exhibit, a remarkable collection of Tucker County historical signage, full of exciting stories and images, created by award-winning graphic artist and historian David Vago.
This vibrant collection of heritage panels bursts with stories and local legends from 1889 – 1950 that bring the county’s rich and diverse history to life, and organized into four different collections, spread across Tucker County:
- The Thomas Rail Trail
- The Davis City Park
- William Avenue (Mainstreet) in Davis
- Blackwater Falls State Park.
Since Friends of Blackwater began this project in 2017, we’ve erected 38 panels for locals and visitors to enjoy,” explains Judy Rodd, Director Director of Friends of Blackwater. “We are incredibly proud of this collection by David Vago and the rich heritage of Tucker County that it chronicles.”
Thanks to a generous grant from the Benedum Foundation, the exhibit’s Grand Opening event will feature music, refreshments, door prizes and short talks from Judy Rodd and David Vago.
The exhibit is open weekends from 11-5 during August and September, visitors to Davis can experience the entire range of the Friends of Blackwater historical signage in one location—the basement of the Babcock Lumber Boom and Lumber Co. on William Avenue (The Wandering Caravan shop).
