Walker receives award from DAR
Catherine Gauldin presents William “Billy” Walker a certificate from DAR in recognition of his preservation efforts. Courtesy Photo
Earlier this month, Catherine Gauldin, a representative of the Major James Kerr Chapter of Kerrville, presented a certificate from the Daughters of the American Revolution to Mr. William Irwin Walker of the historic Walker Ranch at the Bandera Natural History Museum in Bandera, Texas in recognition of his many efforts to preserve the pioneer architecture of Bandera County.
“One of the goals of the Daughters of the American Revolution is to seek out and identify outstanding examples of Historic Preservation,” read a press release from DAR. “Mr. Walker has devoted much of his life to preserving and protecting the architectural heritage left behind by the early inhabitants of the Texas Hill Country.
The log cabin was one of the earliest building forms in Texas. Building a log house or cabin was labor intensive and lumber was hewn or hand split on the site and the logs cut to a precise length then the ends of each timber carefully notched with saw and ax to give a precise fit before being stacked into position.
Billy Walker, of the Walker Ranch located six miles southeast of Bandera on Bruin's Creek, is recognized by the Family Land Heritage Program, which honors farms and ranches that have been in continuous agricultural operation by the same family for 100 years or more.
Walker has restored a cabin on his property that is made of Cypress logs.
Billy Walker refers to the restored cypress cabin on his property as the "Harriett Chipman" cabin, but does not recall exactly who the original owner was or how long they lived there.