Eaton Center Cheese Factory

NW corner of Hwy. 73 and County. Road 26

Shortly after dairying took off in Clark County, Wisconsin, at the turn of the century, cheese factories dotted the county.  Milk or cream was hauled by the farmer, using horses and wagons to transport his product to market, daily, so traveling very far wasn't feasible.  Born of this transportation limitation, it seemed every few miles, usually at an intersection, a frame building housed a cheese factory.  There were also some creameries for butter making interspersed among the cheese factories, but they were not nearly as numerous. 

Later, as milk hauling trucks came on the scene, some cheese factories were phased out as the competition in accepting milk became greater with the ability to rapidly transport it great distances.  As time moved on, other factors and requirements in manufacturing milk product brought the need of financial investments to continue operations, which resulted in the closing of some factories.

The Eaton Center Cheese factory was farmer owned.  It's first operator, Herman Kalkofen moved to Eaton Center, Clark Co., WI with his family in 1911.  In 1932, Kalkofen bought it and continued making cheese there until his death in 1935.  The business was then continued by his widow and family until March 1940, when it burned to the ground.

Francis Scherer and Herbert Quimbly (Kalkofen's nephew) trained for cheese making at Kalkofen's Eaton Center Factory.  After their apprenticeship, both went to other factories working in careers as cheese makers.

• 1932 Photo of Herman Kalhofen (making cheese in his newly purchased Factory).

• Francis Scherer and Herbert Quimbly in training at Kalkofen's Factory.

• Obit: Kalkofen, Herman (1881 - 1935)