Bruno family scrapbooks and souvenir book
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of two scrapbooks and a souvenir book relating to Thaddeus Bruno and Wanda Starr Bruno of Portland, Oregon. The souvenir book is for the beauty competition held at the Century of Progress Exposition in 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, which Wanda Starr competed in. This book contains multiple inscriptions and autographs from other contestants. One of the scrapbooks documents Wanda Starr Bruno's life in the 1930s, including her participation in the Century of Progress Exposition beauty competition and her marriage to Thaddeus Bruno. This scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings; photographs, mainly portraits of her; and correspondence. The second scrapbook primarily consists of black and white portraits and action photographs of Thaddeus Bruno taken in the 1930s as a sample of the work done by his family's photography business, Bruno Studios. However, it also includes a photograph of Bruno's father, Bruno A. Buczkowski; a clipping of a 1932 newspaper interview with Bruno; and a color photograph from the late 20th century of Bruno and three other men on a golf course.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1932-1980
- Creation: Majority of material found within circa 1932-1934
Creator
- Alles, Wanda J., 1914-1984 (Person)
- Bruno, Thaddeus B., 1907-1997 (Person)
- Bruno Studios (Portland, Or.) (Photographer, Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing 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.
Biographical Note
Thaddeus B. Bruno was born in 1907 in Portland, Oregon. His family owned Bruno Photography Studios, which he sold to Charles Winningham, Jr. in 1960. He served in the Army Air Forces in World War II. He worked as a real estate developer, serving as senior vice president of Cushman & Wakefield and owning Thaddeus B. Bruno Property Investments. He was also active in the Republican Party, serving as the Oregon Republican chair and the finance chair for the campaigns of U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan; U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield; and Oregon Governor Tom McCall. His other positions included head of the Oregon Racing Commission, president of the Portland Civic Theatre, president of the Multnomah Athletic Club, president of the Waverley Country Club, director and president of Good Samaritan Hospital and Medical Center, and director of the television station KATU.
In 1934, he married Wanda Nadine Starr (later Wanda Alles, 1914-1984). The couple had two children: Thaddeus "Todd" Bruno, Jr.; and Lynnda Bruno (later Lynnda Hart). Thaddeus Bruno and Wanda Starr Bruno divorced in 1944. In 1947, Thaddeus Bruno married his second wife, Dean Harding (1907-2007); the couple had a son, Scott. Thaddeus Bruno died in October 1997.
Sources: Obituary for Thaddeus Bruno in the Oregonian, October 24, 1997, page D13; "Bruno Photo Studios Sold," Oregonian, May 28, 1960, page 5; vital records via Ancestry.com; information provided by Lynnda Hart in 2018.
Biographical Note
Wanda Bruno (née Starr, later Alles) was born in 1914 in Corvallis, Oregon. In 1933, she competed in the beauty contest at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago, Illinois. The following year, she married Thaddeus B. Bruno (1907-1997) of Portland, Oregon. The couple had two children: Thaddeus "Todd" Bruno, Jr. and Lynnda Bruno (later Lynnda Hart). They divorced in 1944. Wanda Starr Bruno subsequently married George Alles (1922-2005). She died in 1984 in California.
Sources: Obituary for Wanda J. Alles in the Desert Sun (Palm Springs, California), August 15, 1984, page 7; obituary for Thaddeus B. Bruno in the Oregonian, October 24, 1997, page D13; vital records via Ancestry.com; information provided by Lynnda Hart in 2018.
Extent
0.36 Cubic Feet (1 flat box (13x16))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Two scrapbooks and a souvenir book relating to Thaddeus B. Bruno (1907-1997) and Wanda Starr Bruno (later Wanda Alles, 1914-1984) of Portland, Oregon. The scrapbooks include photographs, newspaper clippings, and correspondence. The souvenir book is for the beauty competition at the Century of Progress Exposition held in 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, which Wanda Starr Bruno competed in. Thaddeus B. Bruno worked in real estate and Republican politics and was civically active; he and Wanda Starr Bruno were married from 1934 to 1944.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Lynnda Hart, August 2012 (Lib. Acc. 27712).
Processing Information
Collection was initially processed in 2012, most likely by Geoff Wexler, and reprocessed in 2025 by Jeffrey A. Hayes. During initial processing, acid-free paper was placed between scrapbook pages with photographs for preservation purposes. Reprocessing consisted of placing materials in acid-free folders. Collection was titled "Bruno family scrapbooks" prior to 2025.
Subject
- Title
- Guide to the Bruno family scrapbooks and souvenir book
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org