Cavendars County Store in Villanow
Walker County will receive $20,000 from a federal grant program administered by the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The funds will be used to begin a phased resurvey of historic resources in Walker County.
The first phase will take place in the southeastern portion of the county and catalog the correct age of buildings and other structures, such as bridges, fortifications, and monuments, in the survey area. The Walker County Historic Preservation Commission will provide volunteer assistance for review and research.
Officials said, "Walker County is rich in Native American, African American, European American, Pioneer, Civil War, railroad, mining, textile and agricultural history.
The county just marked the 190th anniversary of its formation last December."
“Walker County's proximity to the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain make it an ideal candidate for heritage tourism,” said John Culpepper, chair, Walker County HPC. “Completing a new survey will allow the county to regain its status as a Certified Local Government and become eligible to receive funding to restore historic local properties so visitors can experience the people, lifestyles, and traditions of the past.”
The last historic resources survey of unincorporated Walker County was completed in 2009. Researchers plan to use data from that 15-year old survey as a starting point, before beginning fieldwork later this year.
A final report will be produced by early 2026 and the data will be compiled online on Georgia's Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources GIS system.
This federal subgrant is a product of the 2024 Historic Preservation Fund, a federal program managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.