, ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁by ▁Edward ▁Ch and ler ▁Walker , ▁the ▁second ▁son ▁of ▁Hir am ▁Walker . ▁It ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁son , ▁Will is ▁Walker , ▁a ▁lawyer ▁in ▁Detroit , ▁M I , ▁who ▁died ▁young . ▁▁ ▁Con tr ary ▁to ▁popular ▁belief , ▁Hir am ▁Walker ▁never ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁home . ▁Edward ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁never ▁had ▁any ▁children . ▁After ▁Edward ▁passed ▁on ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁Mrs . ▁Walker ▁did ▁not ▁care ▁to ▁keep ▁living ▁in ▁the ▁big ▁home ▁alone , ▁and ▁she ▁de eded ▁the ▁house ▁and ▁grounds ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Walker ville . ▁When ▁Walker ville ▁was ▁am alg am ated ▁with ▁W inds or ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁it ▁obtained ▁ownership ▁of ▁Will iste ad . ▁▁ ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁after ▁its ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁residence , ▁Will iste ad ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Walker ville ▁Town ▁Hall , ▁Art ▁Gallery ▁of ▁W inds or ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁public ▁library ▁branch . ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁W inds or , ▁afraid ▁of ▁the ▁rep airs ▁and ▁up keep ▁on ▁the ▁m ansion , ▁wanted ▁to ▁demol ish ▁the ▁structure . ▁Pres ervation ists ▁stepped ▁in ▁and ▁the ▁home ▁was ▁saved . ▁Today ▁the ▁ 3 6 - room ▁m ansion ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁ban quet ▁hall , ▁and ▁the ▁three - acre ▁( 1 2 ,