2019.009.006 [Postcard, Picture]

Strawberry Point Creamery In 1867, the first Strawberry Point Creamery was opened by Grannis and Bushee. They made cheese using the milk of 250 cows. A. O. Kinsley built a cheese factory in 1870. Treadmills were used for power and butter was churned and brought to Strawberry Point to be shipped. In 1882 there were 15 creameries shipping butter from Strawberry Point, which is why the town became known as "Cream City." The Creamery Association formed in 1890, erecting a new building on Cherry Street and commencing operations in 1892. This building was found to be too far from the railroad for shipping, and a new building was erected in 1909. In 1909, 30,000 pounds of milk were being received at the creamery every day. The Creamery was the largest whole milk creamery in the nation. In 1946 the creamery reorganized and modernized and became the Strawberry Point Farmers Cooperative Creamery Association. A new cheese factory opened in 1953 using over 40,000 pounds of whole milk per day and in one year producing half again as much as the previous year. The Farmer's Cooperative Creamery of Strawberry Point and Alrington Cooperative Creamery consolidated on October 1, 1953 to become the Maquoketa Valley Cooperative. They maintained separate facilities until August 1960, when a new plant was constructed at the junction of Highways 3 & 187, where the plant remains to this day. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.