Part I - Agriculture, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.



DOORSTEP DAIRY DELIVERY
Among many businesses felivering milk to the doorsteps in earlier years were ( from tp lefy clockwise) Liberty Dairy on North State Strret, a horse drawn milk delivery wagon owned by Arthur Morningstar in 1909, Emmons Dairy, 13909 Northland Drive, Palmer's Dairy, which was located near where Dunkin Donut is today at 219 N. Michigan; and Quality Dairy, owned by Bernard Brink and located at 729 West. Ave.

According to a souvenir program for the city's centennial in 1955, Emmons Dairy was founded in 1925 by Albert Emmons and produced its own milk from a fine herd of Jerseys until 1951 when Albert sold his herd and began contracting the milk from the herds of 10 surrounding neighbors. Sons John and Charles and daughters Kathleen and Adeline ran the dairy. Mrs. Emmons did the bookkeeping.

The Liberty Dair according to the centennial program, was founded in 1918 by J.S. Chart who advanced the business from a horse drawn wagon to a fleet of seven trucks. In 1947, Librety Dairy converted to paper containers and in 1954 the dairy processed 4,519,226 pounds of milk from producers in Mecosta County which resulted in an employment of 15 to 20 local people and served six routes.

The centennial program also describes the Big Rapids Dairy (not pictured) as the first of its kind to be established in the city, opening for business in 1916 in a location in the Nisbitt Block until a fire forced owner Herman Rogers to move the dairy to a building at 213 Elm. In 1931 Herman passed away, but his wife Ruth continued the business with her sons, Charles and Philco. In 1943, Mrs. Rogers was awarded the meritorious award in dairying at Michigan State College. The building was remodeled during the city's centennial year to accommodate a self service, cash and carry business.



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