The History of Beard
The Beard Family has a distinguished business history in Modesto and surrounding area. We are proud to be able to display, as part of our legacy, a land grant to Mr. Elihu Burritt Beard (the father of our founder, T. K. Beard), dated 1861 and executed by President Abraham Lincoln, for land which today remains in the Beard family. What began in the late 1800's as agriculture and farmland has evolved into a prosperous, community-respected corporation.
Our first corporate endeavor dates back to 1909 when a group of Modestans proposed the Modesto-Oakdale-Newman Railroad, which was given the official corporate name of Modesto Interurban Railway - the predecessor to today's Modesto and Empire Traction Company. While Beard Land Improvement Company, which currently holds the majority of our real estate assets, was not incorporated until 1963, its roots can be traced back to Modesto Interurban Railway which held land and warehouses, and to our parent company, Beard Land and Investment Co., a corporation that was founded in 1926.
Through the years, steady growth and successful investments have made the Beard Companies into a model for a responsible and profitable business. To this day, Beard Land and Investment Co. continues as a family-owned corporation with over 160 shareholders.
Company and Family History
