Students in the third grade at Washington-Wilkes Primary School will soon be presented with a new historical coloring book that focuses on the history of downtown Washington.

Wilkes County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rosemary Caddell was presented with the first copy of "The Washington-Wilkes Historical Coloring Book" by members of the Washington-Wilkes Historical Foundation committee that developed it.

"We hope that this coloring book will promote interest in the history of downtown Washington in our schools," said chairman Ginny King. "

Each third grader in the Wilkes County school system will receive a copy. The coloring book includes 22 historic sites along with a walking map, a location map, a listing of some prominent homes and buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places, a crossword puzzle, a word search, and pictures of Native American artifacts on display at the Washington-Wilkes Historical Museum.

The coloring book was the collaborative effort of David Jenkins and Bruce Fitzgerald of the City of Washington Main Street program and a committee from the Washington Wilkes Historical Foundation which included Ginny King, Sharon Vreeland, Tina M. Lewis, Deb Talley, Jane L. Bundy, and Robert M. Willingham Jr. The book was printed by Wilkes Publishing Co.

Other coloring books are planned to teach more local history. "Now that a prototype has rolled off the presses," King said, "future editions on other historic themes will be easier to create."