Directions
To get to the Walker House from the Lane House:
Continue up Adams Street to the traffic light and turn right, up the hill onto McClung Avenue.
Stop as soon as you safely pass the traffic light.
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Site Description
Walker-Lowe House, ca. 1834
On the left, you passed the front of the Walker House.
Leroy Pope Walker served as first Secretary of War for the Confederacy under President Jefferson Davis. Walker telegraphed the command to fire on Fort Sumter to begin the American Civil War.
He helped fire the flames of war even more with his reckless words. He declared in Montgomery during the celebration of the destruction of Fort Sumter that he expected to see that very flag flying the Stars and Bars sailing over the Capitals at Washington and even as far north as Boston. Those in the North who hadn't made up their mind about which side to take, decided more quickly with reckless statements like that.
In the front yard of the Walker House on the left, perhaps you can see the big indentation. That's the remnant of the city reservoir system. The water from the Big Spring was pumped up the hill, stored in the reservoir and then delivered through wooden pipe to hydrants for paying customers about town. This was the first water utility system west of the Appalachian Mountains.
More Information
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LeRoy
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Building
Sketch
the History and Architecture of Huntsville,
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About
Huntsville History Tour
Thanks to:John Malone, Narrator,
Lite 96.9 WRSA
Jacque Reeves, Narrator
Nancy Rohr, Narrator
Nate "Adams" Cholevik, Producer,
Lite 96.9 WRSA
Deane Dayton, App Developer,
Huntsville History Collection
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Huntsville Madison County
Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Huntsville, AL 35801
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