Aug. 14, 2008

Walker Tavern will soon have a bright new face, thanks to the help and support of the local community. Valspar Paint and Lowe's in Adrian are donating the paint. Volunteers will do the work of scraping and painting the tavern. The Friends of Walker Tavern are providing snacks. The prep work is taking place Aug.12-15, and the painting will be done Aug. 18-22. Working hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Anyone who has a few hours or more to volunteer is encouraged to call Walker Tavern Historic Site at (517) 467-4401 and sign up for a shift.

Larry Eichler, a retired fire chief from Hillsdale, will head up the volunteer paint crew. "I sometimes pick up out-of-town guests at the airport and drive them to Hillsdale College," he said. "I like to show off Walker Tavern as an interesting bit of Michigan history along U.S. 12. I'll be very pleased when the project is completed and Walker Tavern looks good again."

The tavern color scheme will remain the same ? white with green shutters. Valspar has developed a special paint for old buildings, called Duramax that needs no primer and seals and preserves the wood. Valspar has provided the paint for many historic restorations and is looking to showcase this paint on Walker Tavern.

Walker Tavern is located in Brooklyn, next to the Michigan International Speedway in the Irish Hills region. Situated at the historic crossroads of M-50 and the U.S. 12 Heritage Trail, Walker Tavern is just 35 miles west of Ann Arbor.

The Department of Natural Resources and the Department of History, Arts and Libraries jointly administer Walker Tavern. Walker Tavern Historic Site is part of the Michigan Historical Museum System and is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums. For more information visit www.michigan.gov/walkertavern or call (517) 467-4401.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL).