Irishman, Joseph Walker built the two story stone house in the 1850’s, known today as the Walker House.  The stone house had four and a quarter acres of building lots attached.  The census of 1861, indicated that Joseph Walker “owned the town”.  Besides the Walker House, he posed the grist mill (where the Saugeen River crosses Durham Street), a tavern, one hundred and a half acres in total of building lots and several farm lots in Brant Township.  It was unbelievable for a short period of time, however by 1863 with a down turn in the economy, Walker was forced to essentially liquidate all his holdings in town including the Walker House.  Even though Joseph Walker left the Walkerton community to re-establish himself on Manitoulin Island, he has since been titled the “Founder of Walkerton” and remains an important part of history of the town.