Cheese Factories
Cheese making played a major role in the economy and culture of Southwestern Dane County and the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. By the 1870's Wisconsin was second only to Illinois in wheat production but that changed rapidly and farm families looked for a way to stay on their hard-won farms. Milking more than just the family cow caught on in the Driftless area because the soils and topography made it a sensible move. But what to do with all the milk? The answer was cheese, a product that could be kept for months without refrigeration and that could be shipped long distances.
Until the late 1800's, farm women were the cheese makers and production was done in the kitchen. The switch to a factory devoted to making cheese took many years. Stories of the success of New York cheese makers soon won over the locals and cheese factories started appearing throughout the area. Centrally located, always by water, often by the local school, cheese factories became the engine of rural life in southwestern Dane county. At the peak period in the early 1900's, there were more than 116 factories in the over 200 square miles of southwestern Dane county. In the 1920's our area had the heaviest concentration of cheese factories anywhere in Wisconsin.
But things change in farming just as in any industry. After World War II, fewer Americans chose to farm. Many remaining farmers started producing more valuable Grade A milk. Both of these made it too difficult for local cheese factories to remain profitable. In the late 1960's, the last cheese factory closed. The distinctive factory style can still be seen along rural roads as the surviving buildings have become comfortable private homes.
Until the late 1800's, farm women were the cheese makers and production was done in the kitchen. The switch to a factory devoted to making cheese took many years. Stories of the success of New York cheese makers soon won over the locals and cheese factories started appearing throughout the area. Centrally located, always by water, often by the local school, cheese factories became the engine of rural life in southwestern Dane county. At the peak period in the early 1900's, there were more than 116 factories in the over 200 square miles of southwestern Dane county. In the 1920's our area had the heaviest concentration of cheese factories anywhere in Wisconsin.
But things change in farming just as in any industry. After World War II, fewer Americans chose to farm. Many remaining farmers started producing more valuable Grade A milk. Both of these made it too difficult for local cheese factories to remain profitable. In the late 1960's, the last cheese factory closed. The distinctive factory style can still be seen along rural roads as the surviving buildings have become comfortable private homes.
Fertile Ridge Cheese Factory (MHAHS Image PC.166)
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(MHAHS Image PC.165)
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Prairie Ridge Cheese Factory (MHAHS Image 5x7.889)
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Cheese Factories: Click on the cheese factory name to see its page with pictures, description, maps, etc.
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Interactive Map:
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Cheese Factories Unresolved Questions: These factories were listed in the Biennial report of the Dairy and Food Commissioner of Wisconsin for various years but we could not find any other information on them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If you have information, please contact us at [email protected].
1938 Cheese Factory Distribution. Wisconsin Crop Reporting Service
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2009 Cheese Factory Distribution. Wisconsin Crop Reporting Service
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Links and References:
The Book of Cheese, 1918. Charles Thom, Walter W. Fisk, The McMillian Co. NY. from the Pioneer America Society
Disappearing Cheese Factories in America’s Dairyland, 2001. John A. Cross, University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh
The History of Agriculture in Dane County, Wisconsin, 1904, Benjamin Horace Hibbard, University of Wisconsin
The History of Wisconsin Cheese - Wisconsin Cheese Board website
Dane County Historical Society - maps, articles
Mount Horeb Area Historical Society- tax records, images, oral history, publications:
Mount Horeb - Presettlement to 1986. Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society, 1986
History of the Township of Primrose. Mary Hanna Zumbrunnen, 1990
The Historic Perry Norwegian Settlement. The Perry Historical Center, Daleyville. 1954
The History of the Town of Mount Vernon, 1846-1996.
The Town of Vermont – "The Early Years" 1846 – 1890. Marian Swoboda
Town of Springdale, Dane County, Wisconsin : 1848-1998 -Carol Riley Statz, chairperson/secretary
University of Wisconsin Digital Collection - Madison Public Library - online resources: plat maps; Wisconsin Dairy and Food Commission / Semi-annual bulletin of the Dairy and Food Commission of the state of Wisconsin; Klueter, Harry / Directory of Wisconsin dairy manufacturing plants.
Wisconsin State Historical Society- maps, articles, photographs, Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory for architectural information, etc.
Disappearing Cheese Factories in America’s Dairyland, 2001. John A. Cross, University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh
The History of Agriculture in Dane County, Wisconsin, 1904, Benjamin Horace Hibbard, University of Wisconsin
The History of Wisconsin Cheese - Wisconsin Cheese Board website
Dane County Historical Society - maps, articles
Mount Horeb Area Historical Society- tax records, images, oral history, publications:
Mount Horeb - Presettlement to 1986. Mt. Horeb Area Historical Society, 1986
History of the Township of Primrose. Mary Hanna Zumbrunnen, 1990
The Historic Perry Norwegian Settlement. The Perry Historical Center, Daleyville. 1954
The History of the Town of Mount Vernon, 1846-1996.
The Town of Vermont – "The Early Years" 1846 – 1890. Marian Swoboda
Town of Springdale, Dane County, Wisconsin : 1848-1998 -Carol Riley Statz, chairperson/secretary
University of Wisconsin Digital Collection - Madison Public Library - online resources: plat maps; Wisconsin Dairy and Food Commission / Semi-annual bulletin of the Dairy and Food Commission of the state of Wisconsin; Klueter, Harry / Directory of Wisconsin dairy manufacturing plants.
Wisconsin State Historical Society- maps, articles, photographs, Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory for architectural information, etc.