T.B. Walker Foundation (Minneapolis, Minnesota).

Records of the T.B. Walker Foundation, the Archie D. and Bertha H. Walker Foundation, and the Guthrie Theater Foundation, all based in Minneapolis and related to the family of Minneapolis lumberman T. B. (Thomas Barlow) Walker (1840-1928). The collection contains information about the Walker Art Center and the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre (both in Minneapolis). There is also information about a variety of cultural, educational, religious, health, social welfare, scientific, conservation, and other organizations and programs in Minnesota, California, and elsewhere.

T.B. Walker Foundation

A Minnesota corporation established in 1925 whose primary purpose was to develop and maintain the program of the Walker Art Gallery (and its successor, the Walker Art Center), a Minneapolis art museum which had evolved out of T. B. Walker's private art collection. It also made smaller yearly grants to cultural, educational, religious, health, social welfare, and conservation organizations and programs in Minnesota and in California. Incorporators included T. B. Walker and his six surviving children. The foundation was governed by a board of trustees composed of representatives from each of six second-generation Walker family groups. Presidents included T. B. Walker (1925-1928), T. B.'s son Archie D. Walker (1929-1971), and T. B.'s nephew, Justin V. Smith (1971-1976). In 1976 most of the foundation's assets, including endowment resources, the Walker Art Center and the Guthrie Theatre buildings, and virtually the entire collection of art contained in the Art Center were transferred to the Walker Art Center, which then became a public institution. What remained of the foundation was then merged with the California-based T. B. Walker Foundation, which was headquartered in San Francisco and controlled by the California-based Walker family groups.

Archie D. and Bertha H. Walker Foundation

Incorporated in 1953 to fund charitable, scientific, literary, religious, and educational causes and projects of interest to the Archie Walker family, but falling outside the scope of the T. B. Walker Foundation. Incorporators included Archie Walker, his wife Bertha Hudson Walker, and their son Walter W. Walker. The foundation in 1974 narrowed its focus to the elimination of white racism and the treatment of alcoholism. Grants were made mostly to Minnesota-based organizations. Archie Walker served for many years as president of this foundation. After his death his daughter, Louise Walker McCannel, served as president. His son, Walter W. Walker, also served for many years in various foundation offices.

The Guthrie Theater Foundation

The Tyrone Guthrie Theatre Foundation was incorporated in Minnesota in 1960 for the purpose of constructing and managing the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre building. Incorporators included H. Harvard Arnason, Pierce Butler III, John Cowles, Jr., Frank M. Whiting, and Louis N. Zelle. The T.B. Walker Foundation was permitted to designate at least two members of the board of directors. Archie Walker, Justin Smith, and Mrs. Richardson B. Okie (a niece of Susan Rogers Walker) served for several years on the board of directors. The T.B. Walker Foundation leased land adjacent to the Walker Art Center to the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre Foundation, which constructed the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre building upon it. The Tyrone Guthrie Theatre Foundation in turn sublet the theatre building to the Minnesota Theatre Company Foundation, incorporated in 1961 by Butler, Cowles, and Zelle to develop the resident repertory theatre company which presented plays at the Guthrie and at the Crawford Livingston Theatre in St. Paul. Justin Smith served upon the board of this foundation as well.

In 1967 the Tyrone Guthrie Theatre Foundation was merged into the Minnesota Theatre Company Foundation, and the name of the latter was changed to the Guthrie Theatre Foundation. The current spelling of the foundation's name dates from 1975. Butler, Cowles, and Zelle were also the incorporators of this foundation. Archie Walker, Justin Smith, and Mrs. Okie served on the board of directors of the Guthrie Theatre Foundation.

From the guide to the T.B. Walker Foundation and related foundations records., 1925-1984., (Minnesota Historical Society)