Beaver Cheese Factory

Elizabeth Foland, Ike Heiner

This 1893 photo shows two cheesemakers at the Beaver Cheese Factory. Ike Heiner (left) was the cheesemaker; his sister, Elizabeth Foland, (right) was a rare woman assisting in the factory. She brought the recipe when they moved from the Midwest. Some reports say that her husband, George Foland, was the first commercial cheesemaker in the county, although Ike is generally credited with that honor. George died in1893, making this photo a record of the new head cheesemaker, Ike, and Elizabeth, who continued as the assistant cheesemaker. According to "The Tillamook Way," Ike worked at Beaver for 30 years after the cooperative was formed by Merriman Foland, Joe Bixby, Walter West, Al Bunn, William Saling and others. (Photo courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society)

Beaver, Foland, cheesemaking (2)

1964 Cheese & Dairy Ad

In this ad, the front of the Tillamook cheese factory was envisioned with the name of the owner of its cheese-making equipment written along the roof edge. However, the lettering wasn't added. Inside the factory, Cheese & Dairy produced Premium Brand Cheese. (Credit: Headlight-Herald)

TCDA Factory

Area Farm

A typical farm in Tillamook, Oregon was photographed in 1952. (Credit: Tacoma Public Library, D67477-59, Richards Studio)

Credit: Richards Studio, Tacoma Public Library

Premium Brand Cheese Brochure (map)

In 1964, Cheese & Dairy produced a Premium Brand Cheese sales brochure featuring a drawing of an aerial view of Tillamook CounPremium Brand section of drawingty. A portion of the drawing is shown here.

Premium Brand brochure section (491 x 193)

The History of the Tillamook, Oregon Cheese War

Tillamook, Oregon is known for its cheese. Less well known, except to locals who experienced it, is the Cheese War of the 1960s. More information is in the book, Cheese War. Read some reviews and buy a copy from OSU Press, your local bookstore, the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum or Amazon. In addition, Cheese War is a Talking Book provided by the Oregon State Library.

This website contains documents, photos and newspaper articles that add to the history of the Cheese War. Also visit our Facebook page!