Cornwall Historic Dairy Industry
Ontario’s first commercial dairy launched in 1863 in Oxford County.
In 1867, the first cheese factory in this section of the province operated on De Bellefeuille MacDonald’s large farm at Gray’s Creek, straddling Cornwall’s current eastern boundary and that of the former Charlottenburg Township (now South Glengarry).
As the province became more urbanized during the late 19th Century, year-round demand grew for fluid milk as well as for cheese and butter, both for domestic consumption and for export.
The growing dairy market prompted Aultsville’s Michael P. Cook (1824-1910) to introduce the Holstein-Friesian breed of cattle to Canada in 1881 from south of the border. Two years later, he orchestrated the first direct importation from the Netherlands, launching the Holstein-Friesian Association of Canada the following year. The Holstein breed now accounts for more than 90% of our national herd.
The Cornwall Milk Producers Association (1932-1966), a member of the Ontario Whole Milk Producers League, was superseded by the Ontario Milk Marketing Board. In the 1950s, eight Cornwall member dairies were receiving shipments from 85-100 dairy farmers. The Association met at least quarterly and included members from the townships of Cornwall, Charlottenburg and Osnabruck as well as Finch. In addition to the dairies, Cornwall had a few creameries. Cheese factories tended to scatter in the outlying areas, such as in Bonville. After the Second World War, with the British economy slow to recover, Canada’s cheese exports to the United Kingdom failed to regain their former status.
Increased access to home refrigeration, greater mobility as automobile ownership became common and the convenience of well-stocked grocery stores with one-stop shopping contributed to the decline of the “milk man” bringing product to homes.
Cost and convenience dictated a shift in packaging needs. In 1969, Ontario dairies began selling milk in packages of three single quart plastic bags; returnable three-quart plastic jugs were another packaging option for consumers as were triangular Longlife sterilized milk packages that required no refrigeration until opened. Milk in bags is a common find from Ontario eastward but is not so ubiquitous in the west nor in the United States.
Increasing health regulation and standardization saw the remaining dairies consolidate under Cameron’s $500,000 new dairy on Cornwall Centre Rd advertising a Grand Opening Sale for the new dairy bar in March of 1972 after which the sometimes advertised as: “Cornwall’s only local dairy.” The business with convenience store was taken on by the Beckers Milk Co. chain in 1975, with home service still available, but scaled back in 1977. Later still, the South Branch Rd operation, then branded as Mac’s, closed as the jobs were shifted to another geographic location.
Is home milk delivery experiencing a renaissance? Amazon and the Pandemic prompted the return of home delivery of practically everything and our neighbouhood corner store employs a robocaller tempting us to have them deliver such items.
Your Cornwall Community Museum’s trades and small industry exhibit features a section on Cornwall’s historic dairies. Public hours are 9-4 on Monday, Tuesdays and Saturdays as well as Noon-7 on Thursdays and Fridays.
Don Smith is Curator / Manager of the Cornwall Community Museum.
