In 1901, this family arrived in Beaverton and introduced a new way to farm
The Welter Family & their Greenhouses
Michael and Madeline Jennetten Welter settled in Beaverton in 1901. Both were born in Luxembourg. He emigrating to the United States in 1881, and she in 1886. Both were naturalized in 1905. The family came west via Illinois and Indiana, then first stayed in Oregon City where Madelne’s sister and family were living. With them were 2 daughters and 3 sons: Mary, Anna, John, Matthew, and Michael, Jr. The youngest, Catherine, was born shortly after their arrival in Beaverton.
Mr. Welter didn’t like large-scale farming, so soon hired a local carpenter to build five large wood frame greenhouses near their home on 9th Street and Alger Avenue. He was one of the first in Oregon to use this method of growing produce. The family’s specialties were cucumbers grown in summer and lettuce, bell peppers, and eggplant in winter. Once a week, he hitched up his horse and covered wagon and traveled to Portland to sell the produce. Business was good and demand was high.
In 1910, dealers in the Portland market were buying hot house lettuce, 50 cents per box; cucumbers, 60 cents a dozen; eggplant, 12 cents a pound; and peppers, 20 cents a pound. Mrs. Welter was remembered for making pickles and sauerkraut for her family. It is unclear if she sold them. Greenhouse farming (and later floral production) was a productive industry in Beaverton for many years. Several other owners, including the Classens and Frohnauers, were well-known for asparagus, onions, cabbage, garlic, and tomatoes for wholesale and home use.
The Welter greenhouses’ land was close to railroad tracks, so Portland, Eugene, & Eastern Railroad bought 10 acres of the Welter property for rail shops when the line from Portland to west of the Willamette River was to be extended. Three buildings and five sidetracks were planned for interurban passenger service which began in 1914. The P.E.& E. name was later rebranded by Southern Pacific as the more familiar Red Electric Line.
Their daughter Mary Welter O’Meara (1893-1986) states in a 1980s interview with oral historian Shirley Tanzer: “the family was the first in the area to own a Buick Touring Convertible”. The year was 1913 and the Beaverton Owl newspaper commented that the city had enough cars for a “creditable auto parade” even though the streets were dusty in summer and muddy in winter. Six years later in 1919, the Town Council awarded a contract to improve streets, sidewalks, and curbs much to the approval of drivers and pedestrians.
The Welters sold the greenhouses to W.H. Warren in 1916 and moved to their new home on 3rd Street, east of Lombard Street, where Michael built a barn and continued to farm for a few years before retiring.
By Ann Koppy, local historian.
