 |
| An overhead view of the Co-Operative creamery. Not sure of the date, but it looks like the Brookside sign is still there. This was a really large complex at one point. Don't seem to see any tracks. |
The Bellows Falls Co-operative Creamery was a big operation shipping 5-10 cars a day. Records indicate 1498 cars shipped in 1956. Milk was processed and bottled in Bellows Falls before shipping in racked, wooden and metal cases. The milk was shipped Monday to Friday to First National Stores in Somerville, Mass. There was more than 200 farmers involved with supplying milk to Bellows Falls. In the late 1950's the milk containers changed from glass to paper waxed cartons creating considerable problems with leaks. The last full year of operations (1963) the creamery shipped 1,593,336 cases of milk in 1857 milk cars. The Finast contract was awarded to Whiting in July 1964 ending production at the plant by 1965. The Whiting shipments went to truck at that time.
The creamery beginning was a two-story wood structure built by the Boston Dairy Company c. 1906. Another portion of the creamery complex was built around 1918 by the
Liberty Paper Company. These two structures were acquired by the Bellows
Falls Co-operative Creamery in 1921. In 1932 the creamery got a rebuild which included replacing the original 1906 building. The larger modern structure we see today is only a portion of what it once was.
I have not seen many photos of the creamery in use from my era the 1950's. These are a few views that I have found of what once was...George Dutka
 |
| This photo shows the co-operative in the 1952 Manning's Bellows Falls Directory. This photo shows a huge stack which I have not seen in any other photos of Bellows Falls. The Rutland Ry. yard would be in behind the building. |
 |
| A Brookside truck is at the milk loading platform in Woodstock, Vermont on a winters day. Not sure what colour these trucks were..anyone know? |
 |
| Here we have a early era view when the structure was small. If you have seen the ex-creamery now you will remember this wooded braced section. At one time it held up two more stories of blocks. The loading platform was located underneath. Today the platform is filled in and the top stories are gone...wonder if the wooden beams did not hold it up well. |
 |
| How the area of the structure seen above looks today. |
 |
| Signs on the structure at that time. |
Growing up, while eating breakfast cereal I would read everything in sight. Brookside Excello milk cartons feel very familiar to me to this day. Thanks for showing where it came from. Too bad I didn't get there while a student at Dartmouth, but I did come to appreciate the saying that there are more cows than people in Vermont -!
ReplyDeleteThe photo of you is at the wye in WRJ?. Where the New Hampshire Division once ended, crossing the northbound at the depot.
ReplyDeleteI'd often enough be on hand there for the B&M-CP pool's arrival near 4 PM. Soon followed by CV's daily north to pick up mostly newsprint empties left by the pool, and make a crew change. A quick drive to, say, South Royalton depot, would give you an upclose passage at speed of the longest train in the state and a perfect VT village right behind you.
The multicultural pool departed about 6:30, CP crew and both BM and CP cabooses, usually with BM power. It ran on BM to Wells River, then CP rails to StJ to meet Maine Central's Mt. Div. daily to fill out the train with westbound traffic via Canada. The BM power usually was exchanged for CP by a meet with a turn from Montreal at Newport.
Once a week or so mileage was balanced with CP power running as far south as Springfield, MA. Roads could contribute their worst for others' use then. The Newport, VT meet often had newer CP MLW locomotives. But I've seen smoky CP cabs switching Agway feeds in Brattleboro. The WRJ switcher at times was a decrepit CP Fairbanks Morse Traimaster, barely maintained, still in worn original paint with the beaver. Sometimes the three CP RS3s were seen. CP's only RS3's. Bought new especially for this pool service to match BM's RS3 trios which were the standard power on the Conn River Line for years.
A third northbound was a middle of the night BM daily to Groveton Papers, and Brown Co. Papers in Berlin. I miss all of it.
Your correct that photo of me was taken in WRJ at the bridge taking the B&M north to Wells River...George
Delete