On Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, Stafford Middle School unveiled a mural outside its main office celebrating Andrew “Norfolk” Walker and Rosie Walker, who opened Walker’s Inn in 1941. The inn became known for its music, dancing, baseball games, and Rosie’s chicken sandwiches, drawing visitors from Stafford, Quantico, Fort A.P. Hill, and beyond. The mural, painted by local artist Brenda Edwards, was dedicated during a ceremony inside the school cafeteria.
The event brought together Walker family descendants, who shared memories of growing up around the inn, where “no one ever went hungry.” Students played a central role, interviewing family members beforehand and posing questions during a roundtable discussion.
Local artist Brenda Edwards created the mural with support from the Stafford Education Foundation and Discover Stafford: Museum and Historical Society. Edwards said she immersed herself in the time period while researching the project, ensuring accuracy down to clothing styles, cars, and license plates. “Every piece of this has a story behind it,” Edwards said. “It was joyful to paint, and I wanted to honor the spirit of Walker’s Inn.” A QR code placed near the mural will connect students and visitors to oral histories collected for the project.
Relatives of the Walkers—including grandchildren Carolyn Evans, Bertie Bell, Ira Bell, and James Bell—joined the unveiling and took part in a panel discussion. They shared personal memories of dancing to live bands at the inn, collecting candy from the old cash register, and watching baseball games played by the Stafford All Stars. Others recalled how the Walkers opened their doors to travelers, raised livestock and crops to feed their neighbors, and treated everyone with dignity, regardless of their background.
“My grandparents were filled with love for their community,” said Bertie Bell. “Honoring them in this way means the world to us. We are proud to celebrate them as leaders of Stafford.”
Principal Dr. Andrew Grider said the project was about both art and education. “This mural ensures that the story of Walker’s Inn is not only remembered, but passed forward to future generations,” he said. Students played a role in that process, conducting interviews with family members earlier in the day and posing questions during the roundtable.
The mural dedication follows another recognition of Walker’s Inn earlier this year. In March, the Stafford Historical Society and Stafford Hospital unveiled a historical marker on the hospital grounds, where the inn once stood. Hundreds attended that ceremony, part of the launch of the Stafford African American Heritage Trail. The marker notes that the inn hosted legendary performers such as B.B. King and Dinah Washington and served as a vital gathering place for Black soldiers and families during segregation.
“Even though it was Stafford, people came from all over to party at Walker’s Inn,” said Xavier Richardson, a Fredericksburg native and executive with Mary Washington Healthcare, during the hospital ceremony. Historical Society President Connie Hilker added that the new heritage trail is part of ongoing efforts to “collect stories of people and places in Stafford” and preserve them for future generations.
Together, the mural at Stafford Middle and the hospital’s historical marker stand as visible reminders of Walker’s Inn and the community it fostered—symbols of love, resilience, and leadership now recognized across the county.
Potomac Local News was the only press outlet at the mural unveiling.
