Gresham Historical Society · Northwest Digital Heritage

Description

Black and white portrait of Burton Walrad as a young man in suit and tie. Professional photo printed on a postcard. His white collar is high on his neck. His hair is combed back from his face. Embossed "Schneider, | Gresham, Ore.". People identified: Walrad, Burton

Provenance

From a collection of photos of Burton Walrad and his spouse LaVerne Caffee Walrad and their families. Burton Walrad was born in 1902 and moved with his parents to Gresham in 1912. They purchased a mercantile store on Main and 1st Street that became Walrad Mercantile. Burton graduated from Gresham Union High School in 1921 and started his first business, Gresham Transfer Co., in 1922. He drove his delivery truck locally all day and made all-night deliveries to The Dalles, sleeping in the truck while it was unloaded and wetting his shirt in the creek to stay awake. His next venture, Walrad Insurance, remained in business from 1928 until his retirement 50 years later. In 1931, he became the first president of the new Gresham Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in bringing a new bank to Gresham after both of the town’s previous banks had failed in the stock market crash. He became known for charitable giving and investment in civic improvement, purchasing the Gresham Fire Department its first fire truck. Burton and LaVerne had no children. Burton died in 1990 and LaVerne in 2001. Their friend and neighbor David Widmark donated the photos after their deaths. This photo appears to match Burton Walrad's senior photo in the 1921 Gresham Union High School yearbook.

Burton Walrad Senior Portrait

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