International Checker Hall of Fame
Encyclopedia
The International Checker Hall of Fame, which operated from 1979 to 2007, was founded by Troy Førde and located in a Tudor style
mansion in Petal, Mississippi
and housed a large collection of checkers memorabilia. The hall of fame
, which had been home to a statue of checkers-great Marion Tinsley
, a checkers library and museum, as well as the two largest checkerboards and host to a number of checker tournaments, was destroyed by fire on September 29, 2007.
The Hall of Fame opened in May 1979 and was officially dedicated during the checkers world championship during the same year. It provided a tourism
boost to the small town of Petal and was considered to be the town's biggest claim to fame during its more than twenty years of operation.
Featuring the world's largest checkerboard, the 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) Tudor-style mansion
, known as Chateau Walker is listed in Ripley's Believe it or Not. The mansion is designed with a balcony that overlooked the largest checkerboard, played host to a number of checkers tournaments throughout its existence as well as the World Checker Championship. The museum also featured a bust of Marion Tinsley, considered to be a checkers great, together with a letter from Tinsley renouncing his championship. The hall also features a museum with photos of current and former champions, a teaching facility, as well as the world's second largest checkerboard.
Charles Walker's association with the museum ended in January 2005 when he was charged with money laundering. Although the museum continued to operate on a limited basis for two more years, the museum and its collection was destroyed by fire in September 2007 and there are currently no plans to re-open. The fire destroyed 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) of the museum but there were no injuries.
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
mansion in Petal, Mississippi
Petal, Mississippi
Petal is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States, along the Leaf River. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population is 10,617 per the US Census estimates performed in July 2007....
and housed a large collection of checkers memorabilia. The hall of fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
, which had been home to a statue of checkers-great Marion Tinsley
Marion Tinsley
Marion Tinsley is considered the greatest checkers player who ever lived. He was world champion from 1955–1958 and 1975–1991. Tinsley never lost a World Championship match, and lost only seven games in his entire 45 year career...
, a checkers library and museum, as well as the two largest checkerboards and host to a number of checker tournaments, was destroyed by fire on September 29, 2007.
The Hall of Fame opened in May 1979 and was officially dedicated during the checkers world championship during the same year. It provided a tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
boost to the small town of Petal and was considered to be the town's biggest claim to fame during its more than twenty years of operation.
Featuring the world's largest checkerboard, the 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) Tudor-style mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
, known as Chateau Walker is listed in Ripley's Believe it or Not. The mansion is designed with a balcony that overlooked the largest checkerboard, played host to a number of checkers tournaments throughout its existence as well as the World Checker Championship. The museum also featured a bust of Marion Tinsley, considered to be a checkers great, together with a letter from Tinsley renouncing his championship. The hall also features a museum with photos of current and former champions, a teaching facility, as well as the world's second largest checkerboard.
Charles Walker's association with the museum ended in January 2005 when he was charged with money laundering. Although the museum continued to operate on a limited basis for two more years, the museum and its collection was destroyed by fire in September 2007 and there are currently no plans to re-open. The fire destroyed 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) of the museum but there were no injuries.