Phillips County Museum News for Wednesday, June 19, 2024

In last week’s article, I wrote about the dairy cows in Phillips County. At the same time as the push to improve the dairy cows’ bloodlines, a new creamery association was being formed.

Phillips County farmers met in late June 1924 and organized the Phillips County Creamery and Produce Company. Enough stock had been sold that it was felt the cooperative would be a success. Nine directors were elected to head up the cooperative. They were J.N. Mangis, R.A. Thompson, S.H. Brumbley, Adolph LaFond, Martin Mitchell, J.P. Larson, Frank O. Peterson, F.A. Schempp and Chester Hyde. Mr. Hyde was elected President, LaFond Vice-President, Thompson Secretary, and Schempp Treasurer. It was decided that they would not buy equipment until the cream from at least 1000 cows was guaranteed to support the creamery.

In October 1924, the cooperative bought the already existing Riverside Creamery from Mr. Kane. They had signed up to receive milk and cream from over 1500 cows. Besides making butter, they would also continue making the ice cream that Mr. Kane had been producing.

In November, the cooperative held a contest in which people were to draw a design for the butter carton. The winner was to receive a prize of $5.00. The second-place design would win two gallons of ice cream. I wasn’t able to find out who the winners were.

This was not the first creamery in Malta. There were dairies in the early 1900s that sold butter. The first known creamery opened in March 1913.

Stop by the Phillips County Museum to learn more fascinating facts about early-day life in the area.

We are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.