The Walker family came to prominence via its progenitor, T. B. Walker (Thomas Barlow Walker), a highly successful American businessperson who acquired timber in Minnesota and California and built one of the largest forest products corporations in the nation at the time. He collected art that he made available to the public, and founded the Minneapolis Public Library. He is also the founder and namesake of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Descendants of his son, Clinton Walker, continue to live in Northern California and own 142,500 acres of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified sustainable timberland known as Shasta Forests.
Early family history and business interests
T. B. Walker (February 1, 1840 – July 28, 1928) was born in Xenia, Ohio, to Platt Bayless Walker (1808–1849) and Anstis Keziah Barlow Walker (1814–1883). Walker married his college classmate and boss's daughter Harriet Granger Hulet (1841–1917) in 1863, with whom he had eight children. In 1862 Walker moved to Minnesota and got a job as a deputy pine surveyor, enabling him to become familiar with the timber tracts in northern Minnesota. This knowledge became the basis of his wealth in the timber business. Walker went on to form many timber business partnerships in Minnesota beginning in 1867. Despite the economic Depression of the 1890s that stunted much of Minneapolis's growth, T. B. Walker is credited with much of the city's industrial development, including building many factories, the commercial market, a streetcar line, the Walker/Syndicate building, a Methodist church, as well as hotels he built for workers and builders of the factories.
The Walker family's flagship business, the Red River Lumber Company (RRLC), was formed in 1884. It built and operated mills in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Northern California. RRLC was also the "home" of legendary character Paul Bunyan. Stories about Bunyan, a mythical lumber jack, were created by RRLC's publicist using local lumber jack stories. Bunyan eventually became synonymous with RRLC products. Walker's sons took control of RRLC soon after the first mill in California was built in 1912. Walker built several company towns during this time including Akeley, Minnesota, and Westwood, California.
Clinton Walker, whose descendants live in Northern California today, was the fifth son of T. B. Walker. He married Della Brooks circa 1901. They had three children: son Brooks Walker (1902–1984), and daughters Harriet E. Walker Henderson (1904–2007) and Alma Virginia Walker Hearst McKeever (1908–1971). He worked for his father and RRLC at various times throughout his life. He also invented automotive parts and accessories and invested in filmmaking.
While on a business trip in New York with her husband, Harriet died in 1917. T. B. Walker died at his home in Minneapolis on July 28, 1928 at the age of 88.
Recent family history and business interests
Red River Lumber Company eventually became Shasta Forests Company in the 1940s. For many years the Walker family, through Shasta Forests, managed much of their California timber land as an ongoing forest investment. Reflecting a commitment to sustainable forestry practices, over the last four decades management of Shasta Forests has engaged in tree farming and selective cutting practices to enable sustainable timber production and healthy forest ecosystems, including clean water, productive soils, wildlife habitat, forage, aesthetics and recreational opportunities. Shasta Forests is one of the first timber landowners in California to become FSC-certified. By harvesting less than growth and leaving the best trees to grow the timber volume, Shasta Forests has doubled and the forests are now healthier and more vigorous. The yield taxes paid by Shasta Forests and the jobs created directly and indirectly as a result of timber production have generated millions of dollars in federal, state and local tax revenues.
Philanthropy
Walker Art Center
T. B. Walker was a lifelong art collector who was committed to making his collection available to the public. In 1879 he opened up his home in order to let the public view his personal collection and by 1915 approximately 100,000 people viewed the collection every year. By 1926 T. B. Walker built a gallery building where the present-day Walker Art Center is now located. After the city of Minneapolis refused to accept Walker's collection and gallery as a gift, the T. B. Walker Foundation, Inc. was formed in 1925 to own and manage it. Most of his collection was given away or sold to buy modern works.