Cooperative effort

After an extended stay in Waseca, a 40-inch by 30-inch oil portrait of Maud Weyerhaeuser has returned to her hometown of Little Falls, where she was greeted with great enthusiasm. Maud was married to Charles Weyerhaeuser who, along with fellow business manager Drew Musser, ran the Pine Tree Lumber Company in Little Falls from 1892 to 1927.

 

Grace Duxbury, collections manager at the Morrison County Historical Society, said the community is still benefitting from the humane approach the Weyerhausers and Musser took toward the hundreds of workers employed by the lumber mill and toward their families.

 

“The lumber industry had a massive impact on Morrison County,” observed Duxbury. Explaining that, in addition to the company treating workers at all levels with respect, “Maud wasn’t only Charles’ wife. She took active roles in the community.” Duxbury tells that Maud made a point of bringing cultural and musical events to the community that gave Little Falls a regional reputation as “the place to be.” She also oversaw philanthropic projects, including being sure that young children in the community had access to milk.

 

Prior to the arrival of the large painting, the Morrison County Historical Society had only black and white photographs of the Weyerhaeuser family members. The Society is housed in the Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Memorial Museum, a building financed in the 1970s by Maud and Charles’ daughter and son; the building is located within the Charles A. Lindbergh state park at the outskirts of Little Falls.

 

According to Duxbury, the historic value of the painting is inestimable.

 

Acting director Elizabeth Anselmo at the Waseca County Historical Society says it is unknown how the painting came to be in possession of the Waseca Society. No accession papers regarding it were ever filed, and a 20-year employee of the Society says it was located in the Bailey Lewer house before she came on staff.

 

The painting was unframed, but written in paint on the back of the framework were the words “lumber baron’s wife.” When their attention was called to the painting by recent work being done on the second floor of the Bailey Lewer house, Waseca staff decided to carry out further research. 

 

After local staff members came across the possibility the portrait might be of Maud, they communicated with the staff in Little Falls. Once the identity was confirmed, arrangements were made to transfer ownership of the painting to the Morrison County Society.

 

Duxbury says that, with the painting now in house, she and other museum staff members will be researching to see what more can be learned about it. There is no evident signature, and no record has so far been found of when Maud might have chosen to sit for a portrait.

 

“We are very excited and grateful to have this painting,” said Duxbury. “And we’re excited about what more we can learn from it.” She mentioned there has not yet been time to determine where and when the painting will be displayed, but expects it will be of great interest to community members and history buffs.