The home of an icon of Gloucester County history looks like it might finally be getting the attention it deserves.

A committee, including representatives of Hampton University and local community leaders, has been meeting for the past few weeks, working on plans to restore the T.C. Walker House. They hope to have that structure serve as a tribute to the legacy of Walker, a man born into slavery who rose to become a respected attorney, businessman, community leader and tireless advocate for education and property ownership among his fellow African Americans.

The house, located directly across Gloucester’s Main Street from the Bangkok Noi restaurant, is the home of “Lawyer Walker,” as he was known, from 1900 until his death in 1953. After Walker’s death, his daughters inherited the house and renovated the structure, eventually donating the property to Hampton University in 1977.

In 2009, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. While a h...