Model Maker of Historic Homes
ONLINE EXHIBIT
About His Life
Paul Addison Walker was
born in Newport, which is near Blackburg, Virginia, on May
15, 1900. He was one of three children of the late John
William and Addie Sue Keffer Walker. Paul married Mildred
Zell on March 13, 1926 and they lived most of their lives in
Giles County, Virginia.
Paul and Mildred, however,
lived in Big Stone Gap, Virginia from 1935 to 1942 when Paul
was in the Lonesome Pine Civilian Conservation Corp.
Congressman C. Bascom Slemp recognized Paul's talents and
craftsmanship and commissioned him to make miniatures of
historic buildings in Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Paul kept a work record of the time and other details of the
work on these historical miniatures in a small notebook.
This ledger was used by C. Bascom Slemp when paying Paul for
his work. Paul was paid 50 cents per hour for his work on
the models. The scale for the models was 1/2 inch to 1 foot.
For the purpose of reproducing the houses, the original
buildings were accurately measured. The models show the
evolution of homes from the one-room log cabin to two-story
frame or brick houses.
In 1942, Paul and Mildred
moved back to Newport and he went to work in the Radford
Army Ammunition Plant and remained there until his
retirement in 1965. Paul continued his wood-working hobby
throughout his life. On the morning of May 13, 1996, just
two days before he would have turned 96 years old, Paul A.
Walker passed away. He was survived by his wife, Mildred,
son Paul, Jr., three grandchildren and three great
grandchildren.
About the Model Homes
David Pierce Home - Wythe County, Virginia
Built around 1770 at Popular
Camp, Wythe County, Virginia, this was one of the first houses
in this county. It is located on the New River. David Pierce
built an iron forge and made one of the largest fortunes in the
area at the time. He was a direct descendent of the Grahams,
of Grahams Forge, Virginia, and Crocketts of Wythe County.
Paul made the model from November
5 to December 12, 1941 and it took him about 107 hours to complete.
Lee Log Cabin, Coeburn, Virginia
This model was made by Mr.
Walker in April of 1939. He was paid $24.75 for his 49-1/2 hours
of work. In the diary that Paul kept of his work, he mentions
that the house was located in the South side of Coeburn, but
unfortunately no other entry is made in the diary.
Fort Witten, Tazwell County, Virginia
Thomas Witten, assisted by
his sons and neighbors in the early 1770s, built a fort for protection
against Indians at Crab Orchard on the Clinch River in Tazewell,
Virginia. The fort was composed of the main house, or dwelling,
two blockhouses used for observation, a stockade, and an out-building.
The original buildings burned, and were later reproduced by the
Daughters of the American Revolution.
Paul spent 36 hours between
October 15 and October 29, 1940, on the replica.
Next
Page
