Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Walker Farms records, 1945-1977
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Walker Farms (Athena, Or.)
- Title
- Walker Farms records
- Dates
- 1945-1977 (inclusive)19451977
- Quantity
- 1.2 cubic feet, (3 document cases)
- Collection Number
- Coll 188
- Summary
- Records of an eastern Oregon farm, near Athena in Umatilla County, engaged in large-scale growing of wheat, oats, and peas from the 1940s to the 1960s.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
In Eastern Oregon during the post-World War II era, wheat and oats were cash crops that not only grew in abundance, but also sold readily on the world market. One of the successful farming ventures in the area was Walker Farms, in the Athena area in Umatilla County. The farm was financed by Emery Walker, a businessman of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and managed by his partner and son-in-law, Herbert Whitacre.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Records of Walker Farms primarily consist of correspondence, particularly between Emery Walker and his business partner, Herbert Whitacre, and of financial documents, which relate to the farm, the financial holdings of Emery Walker and to his estate after his death, and to Walker's widow, Constance. The collection also includes a small number of brochures for agricultural and food processing equipment. The materials in the collection reflect the concerns of farmers with the ways crops can be ruined by weather, insect invasions, and low prices.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Walker Farms records, Coll 188, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in three series:
- Series 1: Correspondence
- Series 2: Financial records
- Series 3: Printed matter
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Correspondence, 1945-1967Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Correspondence, general |
1946-1967 |
| 1 | 2 | Correspondence related to Pendleton Grain Growers cooperative, with documents and reports |
1949-1967 |
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence concerning Umatilla Canning Company, with clippings and documents |
1959-1967 |
| 1 | 4-9 | Correspondence between Emery Walker and Herbert Whitacre |
1945-1967 |
| 1 | 10 | Correspondence with Whyte, Hirschback & Minahan law firm |
1951-1956 |
Series 2: Financial records, 1945-1977Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 1 | Estate of Nellie Bucey |
1951-1952 |
| 2 | 2 | Investments of Emery Walker |
1958-1968 |
| 2 | 3 | Notes of Emery Walker, including lists of his possessions |
undated |
| 2 | 4-6 | Notes and papers of Constance Walker |
1970-1977 |
| 2 | 7 | Probate - inventory of estate of Emery Walker |
1970 |
| 3 | 1-4 | Taxes, general |
1945-1967 |
| 3 | 5-6 | Taxes, Walker Farms |
1951-1967 |
Series 3: Printed matter, circa 1945-1970Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 7 | Brochures for agricultural and food processing equipment |
circa 1945-1970 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Farms--Oregon--Umatilla County
Personal Names
- Walker, Emery--Correspondence
- Walker, Emery--Estate
- Whitacre, Herbert--Correspondence
Corporate Names
- Walker Farms (Athena, Or.)--Records and correspondence
Form or Genre Terms
- correspondence
- financial records
Grace Hawes and Geoffrey B. Wexler
2010; revised 2024
