Norton Clapp

Matthew Norton Clapp (April 15, 1906-April 22, 1995) was a successful businessman, and eventually served as chairman of the Weyerhaeuser Corporation. He was active in civic service and a philanthropist.

Early Life and Career

Clapp was born in Pasadena, California. He was named for his maternal grandfather Matthew G. Norton, a Winona, Minnesota lumberman who via the Laird, Norton Company was to help finance the Weyerhaeuser purchase of land in Washington State in 1900.

Clapp received an A.B. from Occidental College and a Ph.B in 1928 from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from Chicago in 1929.

He practiced law in Tacoma, Washington from 1929 until 1942. He was among the developers of Lakewood Colonial Center in 1937 in what is now Lakewood, WA. It was one of the first shopping centers west of the Mississippi River. In 1938, he converted an existing structure into the Lakewood Ice Arena. He became a trustee of the University of Puget Sound in 1933 and would serve there until his death including being chairman from 1967 until 1986.