Reporter Dorothy Neighbors visited the large Tillamook cheese factory in 1958 and wrote about the experience for The Seattle Times. (Photo credit: The Seattle Times, Nov. 18, 1958) READ MORE
Category Archives: History by Year
1959 Strike
Strike! In July 1959, Tillamook County Creamery Association employees were on strike in solidarity with their Teamster members. Farmers and some non-striking workers filled in to keep production and distribution going. Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa spoke in support and Gov. Mark Hatfield got involved in the negotiations. Grocery store shoppers boycotted the product in 11… READ MORE
Beaver Cheese Factory
This 1893 photo shows two cheesemakers at the Beaver Cheese Factory. Ike Heiner (left) was the cheesemaker; Elizabeth Foland (right) was a rare woman assisting in the factory. 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… READ MORE
Timeline, Post-1968
1968-69 – Tillamook County Creamery Association reorganized as a producer cooperative 1969 – All small cheese factories in Tillamook County were closed; production shifted to the large factory north of Tillamook 1970 – Oregon established a statewide quota system 1987 – Oregon’s statewide quota system ended 1987 – Warren McMinimee, long-time attorney for Tillamook County… READ MORE
Timeline, 1967
Cheese War Timeline 1967 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-1967 At its annual membership meeting, Cheese & Dairy officials reported that sales had exceeded $3 million and monthly earnings had increased. Winning awards at the Oregon Dairy Industries contest were cheesemakers Dean Daggett, Ron Jones,… READ MORE
Timeline, 1968
Cheese War Timeline 1968 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-1968 Cheese & Dairy cheesemakers brought trophies home from the Oregon Dairy Industries annual convention. Fritz Baumgartner, head cheesemaker, won the sweepstakes trophy. Also winning awards were Lloyd Wright, Dean Daggett, Ron Jones, Allan Waldron, and Merton… READ MORE
Timeline, 1966
Cheese War Timeline 1966 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-20-1966 Annual meetings of competing Tillamook dairy cooperatives were held on the third Saturday in February. Gathering at the Fairview Grange were about 125 members of Cheese and Dairy, which had merged with Red Clover at… READ MORE
Timeline, 1965
Cheese War Timeline 1965 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 4-12-1965 to 4-16-1965 County Creamery filed a $10 million antitrust suit against Cheese & Dairy, along with a $10 million antitrust suit against Red Clover. Earlier, Cheese & Dairy and Red Clover asked for a combined $8.4 million in… READ MORE
Timeline, 1964
Cheese War Timeline 1964 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 1-27-1964 Cheese & Dairy sought an injunction in federal court that would order County Creamery to stop threatening legal action against dealers who handle Premium Brand cheese. Cheese & Dairy said that County Creamery… READ MORE
Timeline, 1963
Cheese War Timeline 1963 Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 1-1963 and 2-1963 A dairy stabilization law for the Portland milkshed was drafted by an Oregon Dairymen’s Association committee headed by George Milne, president of Tillamook Cheese & Dairy. The… READ MORE
