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By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Tom Walker, the visionary founder of the American Village in Montevallo, died on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Walker’s passing was announced Thursday morning, Sept. 25, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for American Village’s new Independence Hall addition. The new building will be named after Walker, as announced by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey during the ceremony.

A lifelong student of history and civic life, Walker dedicated his career to helping future generations understand America’s story. His dream became reality on Nov. 30, 1999, when American Village opened its gates to the public. Since then, nearly a million people—schoolchildren, families and visitors from across the Southeast—have walked its grounds, immersed in living history programs that bring the nation’s founding ideals to life.

“The purpose was for young people to know America’s story,” Walker once said of the Village, which now spans more than 20 historically inspired buildings and hosts programs ranging from Revolutionary War reenactments to July Fourth fireworks.

A native of Albertville, Walker came to Shelby County to study at the University of Montevallo, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science before completing a master’s in political science at Mississippi State University. His career included service with the Cooperative Extension Service, city manager of Northport and assistant to UM President Dr. John Stewart, before he cast his vision for an educational campus devoted to American history.

Working with local legislators, architects and community leaders, Walker secured the land and support to make that vision a reality. The Village has since become a landmark destination for schools throughout Alabama and surrounding states.

Walker served as its first president until his retirement in March 2022. He was later succeeded by Chelsea resident Alan B. Miller.

Beyond the Village, Walker’s service extended to the national stage. In 2017, he was appointed to the United States Semiquincentennial Commission to help plan America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. He also received numerous honors, including the DAR Medal of Honor, SAR Gold Citizenship Medal, the American Bar Association’s national award for excellence in K-12 education and Troy University’s Honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

For Walker, history was never just about the past—it was about building better citizens.

“From Concord Bridge in 1775 to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, those were all times that people stood up for liberty,” Walker said. “Although they were different circumstances, the theme song was the same.”

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.