| Robert Stuart Wallace was an early
Salem orchardist who developed the Wallace Orchards in the 1880's,
a 330 acre pear farm. that was operated by the Wallace family
until 1952 when it was sold to the developer of what is now
Salem Towne. Mr. Wallace was an active business entrepreneur
who founded and built the Capitol National Bank, owned the first
cannery in Salem, built the first bridge across the Willamette,
and operated the Salem Sand & Gravel and the Sydney Power
Companies.
Wallace's son, Paul B. Wallace was also an outstanding Salem
citizen who left 24 acres of prime riverfront land known as
Wallace Marine Park to the citizens of Salem. Wallace Road
in West Salem is named after the Wallace family.
Robert Stuart Wallace lived in Chicago and operated as a
commodity broker in the Chicago Board of Trade. The pressure
of trading was so intense that his doctor told him he must
quit this stressful activity or he would die young. He took
the advice and sold his holdings and came to Salem, Oregon
in 1885. He had recently visited here and liked what he saw
and decided to move here.
He and his wife, Nancy Black Wallace, built a large house
on the northwest corner of Capitol and court Street. They
had three children, Lee, Paul and Ruth, and lived in this
house as well as one at the orchard that was their summer
home.
Mr. Wallace died at 41, but during the six years he lived
in Salem he accomplished many major projects. He developed
the Wallace Orchards into a 330 acre pear farm with its own
packing plant. He also owned the first cannery in Salem as
well as the Wallace warehouse on Trade Street. He purchased
the Salem Water company and operated it adding many improvements.
He operated the Salem Sand and Gravel company on the east
side of the river between center street bridge and the railroad
bridge.
He was the founder and president of the Capital National
Bank, and built the small bank building with the tower on
the west side of Commercial street next to the Pioneer Trust
Co. The Wallace family sold the building to Pioneer Trust
and it stands today as one of Salem's unique historic buildings.
His business interests also extended to the ownership of the
Sydney Power Company near Jefferson, which operated a flour
mill as well as a river powered electric generator which sold
power in the Salem area.
When Robert Wallace died in 1891, he was buried in the family
plot at City View Cemetery. His wife Nancy Black Wallace and
his son Paul Black Wallace are also buried with him.
Researched and written by Suzanne B. Morrison
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