Chesser-Williams House Project

The Chesser-Williams House is one of the last remaining faces of Gwinnett County’s history. Built in the 1850s by an unknown individual, the house is of the architectural style know as an I-house, which is two rooms wide and one room deep. The most significant aspect of the house is the stenciled painting in the interior and exterior of the home. This art work was created by a German itinerant (traveling) painter in exchange for room and board, and at this time, his identity remains unknown.

In 2008 the home was donated by Jerald and Sue Williams to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center Foundation to be used as a living history museum. The structure will be moved to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center campus in the coming months. It will be restored to its previous state and will provide hands-on education. This treasure of Gwinnett County will serve as the epicenter of the Center’s cultural and heritage education program. Gardening practices, blacksmithing techniques and other cultural and environmental topics of research and programming will be pursued.

We need your help to support this unique initiative! Please donate to the Gwinnett Environmental & Heritage Center Foundation and assist us in the restoration of this great treasure as we

Preserve Our Past for Our Future

Historic Photo of Chesser Family (Courtesy of the Gwinnett Historical Society)
Circa 1896

Current Chesser-Williams House

Interior photograph of the folk painting

Pastoral scene over the mantel