The Little Falls Historical Society Museum

First U.S. Cheese Market Exhibit

The first cheese market in the United States was established in 1861 at Little Falls. From April through December local farmers, cheese factory representatives, and brokers for major American and English markets gathered at Ann and Albany Streets to sample cheeses and negotiate prices.

From 1864-1870, Little Falls was the largest interior cheese market in the world. It remained a center for cheese production well into the twentieth century.

First U.S. Cheese Market Exhibit

Little Falls Cheese Market display at the Little Falls Historical Society Museum.

“Little Falls is the Greatest Place for Cheese…”

“The farmers bring in that article of consumption every Monday and so great is the rush that the police of the place are on duty all the time to preserve order and keep the streets free from obstructions. The cheese is shipped from here to New York and thence by vessels to the European markets. The people in the suburbs are wealthy and live in fine residences and in a luxurious manner – all from cheese.”

Poughkeepsie Journal, c. 1866

America’s first Dairy Board of Trade was established in Little Falls in 1871.

Essentially a producer organization, the board coordinated the sales and distribution of dairy products nationwide. It was soon emulated by other associations.

A record day for cheese

Once the farmer or factory sold the week’s production, their wooden boxes of cheese were shipped out to the processing company. On a single day in 1866 over 380,000 pounds of Herkimer County cheese were delivered to the railroad station. Double rows of cheese-laden wagons lined the street for a quarter-mile in each direction. In the course of the average season, from twenty-five to thirty million pounds of cheese were sold in Little Falls.

From 1864 – 1870 Little Falls was known as the largest Cheese Market for where?

The world

Where was the open air Cheese Market held?

At the corner of Ann & Albany Streets by the Museum (the Old Bank).

In 1871 what was the purpose of the Dairymen’s Board of Trade who held their meetings at the Evan’s House?

To support Dairy Farmers and set the prices & Transport the cheese.

What mode of communication was used for the Dairymen’s Board of Trade to set prices for cheese in Markets in New York and England?

The telegraph

Little Falls Cheese Market Historical Timeline

May 22, 1861
Dairymen bring their produce to the crowded streets of Little Falls
The local press stated “Notwithstanding the hard times, failures and war rumors, our dairymen are hurrying forward their produce.” The streets of Little Falls were crowded with wagons as farmers shipped 1087 boxes of cheese weighing 70,503 pounds at the depot. Farmers and buyers made their bargains along South Ann Street by the bank building.
May 18, 1864
Market prices
Prices at the market – Butter 45 cents a pound, Cheese 20 cents, Lard 30 cents, Eggs 40 cents a dozen, and Potatoes 63 cents a bushel.
April 12, 1866
Funds being raised to send agent to England
An effort is being made locally to raise funds to send an agent to England to report upon the process of manufacturing and marketing cheese, the probable effect of the cattle plague, and other matters pertaining to the dairying interests in the state.
June 15, 1869
Cheese Market Headquarters established
Edward Evans purchased the old American House hotel and the Evans House became the headquarters of the Cheese Market.
January 15, 1875
Large numbers of cheese shipped from Little Falls
Mr. J.A. Woolever, freight agent at Little Falls, reported that 5,653,118 pounds of cheese was shipped by rail from Little Falls during 1874. He indicated this total did not include large numbers of cheese sent by boat during this same period. 12 million pounds was shipped from Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, and Otsego counties valued at $1,740,000.
June 1, 1876
Rennet Factory established in Little Falls
Around this date, Chr. Hansen’s Laboratories of Copenhagen, Denmark, the world’s premier manufacturer of rennet used in the production of cheese, along with coloring for cheese and butter, established a factory in Little Falls under the management of Mr. J. D. Frederiksen.
December 12, 1881
Little Falls’ place in the cheese market most prominent
Little Falls continued to hold the foremost place as a cheese market. During the year 15,181,500 pounds of factory cheese was sold here at an average price of 0.108933 cents per pound. The value was $1,653,184.17. This is solid money paid to our dairymen creating a great degree of prosperity. In addition a large quantity of dairy cheese was sold.
October 27, 1882
Xerxes A. Willard responsible for "Cheese capital of the nation" has died
Xerxes A. Willard, the man responsible in making Little Falls the “cheese capitol of the nation,” has died. He abandoned law as a career, became a farmer and was editor of the Herkimer County Journal, as well being an author on various phases of cheese making which became standards in the industry. He developed the method for establishing cheese prices and transmitting that information instantly across the country.
July 27, 1885
Farmers threaten to sell their cheese out of Utica
Farmers who were selling their cheese on Albany Street were ordered off the street by Sheriff Abbott after a couple of residents claimed their teams were a nuisance. After the sellers threatened to go to Utica, better accommodations were found for them on Bridge Street.
June 1, 1895
New Zealand and Australia compete to supply cheese and butter to Europe
D. H. Burrell & Company of Little Falls made three shipments of cheese making apparatus to New Zealand. Over the past two years New Zealand and Australia have become formidable competitors in butter and cheese markets in Europe.
July 30, 1901
Business soars for stores and saloons
Whether it was the increase in the price paid for cheese, great weather, a bumper hay crop, or something else, the farmers had big night in town. The stores as well as the saloons did a large business. There were many fights and nineteen arrests were made, thirteen by policeman James “Dusty” Long.
May 1, 1916
The Stacey Company Cheese stops operations
The Stacey Company Cheese ceased operations when the executives foresaw the decline of Herkimer County as the center of the cheese trade, and the building space was taken over by the Little Falls Felt Shoe Company which had been founded in 1905. Irving E. Stacey is president of both companies.
February 18, 1926
J. D. Frederiksen, cheese industry icon dies in Florida
J. D. Frederiksen, cheese industry icon, inventor, author and manager of the Chr. Hansen Laboratories in Little Falls, died in Florida. Born and educated in Denmark, Mr. Frederiksen came to Little Falls in 1879. Very active in the community, he helped establish the Pine Crest tuberculosis sanatorium in Salisbury. He will be buried in Church Street Cemetery.
October 7, 1948
President Harry S Truman makes a “whistle stop” in Little Falls
A month prior to the presidential election, hundreds waited in the rain as President Harry S Truman made a “whistle stop” here. He attacked the “do-nothing” 80^th Congress, and extolled the virtue of Herkimer County cheese. Truman defeated Dewey.
May 3, 1974
Felix Frederiksen, son of the famous cheese expert Johan Frederiksen, dies
Felix Frederiksen , Little Falls native and son of the famous cheese expert Johan Frederiksen, died at age 81. Encouraged by his father, he started a cheese-making business in the city on East Monroe Street, and eventually moved to Minnesota where he became the first to commercially produce blue cheese.

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Writing Series and Archives

Burrell Medals

Click and drag the circle icon to view the front and back of each medallion.

H. Burrell & Co. Award
“For An Excellent Cheese”
1848

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 1F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #1 has a diameter of 2 inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) American Institute – New York – 1848 R. Lovett
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 21 (1)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 1B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Awarded to H. Burrell & Co. For An Excellent Cheese 1848

Whitman, Burrell & Company
Mechanics Institute
Buffalo, NY
Bronze Medal – 1873

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 2F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion # 2 has a diameter of 1 ¾ inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) International Industrial Exposition- Buffalo, NY
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
ID NUMBER:
15 – 22 (2)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 2B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Mechanics Institute – Awarded To Whitman & Burrell for Andersons Steam – Lard Rendered – 1873

Whitman, Burrell & Company
Mechanics Institute
Buffalo, NY
Bronze Medal -1873

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 3F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #3 has a diameter of 2 inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) Ceres
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 23 (3)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 3B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) New York State Agricultural Society – For Whitman & Burrell For Anderson Agricultural Steamer – 1874

Whitman, Burrell & Company
American Institute
Bronze Medal – 1874

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 4F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #4 has a diameter of 2 inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) American Institute – New York
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 24 (4)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 4B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Awarded To Whitman & Burrell For A Steam Engine 1874

Whitman, Burrell & Company
New York State Agricultural Society
Bronze Medal – 1874

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 5F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #5 has a diameter of 2 ¼ inches
INSCRIPTIONS:
(Front of Medallion) International Industrial Exhibition – Buffalo, NY
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 25 (5)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 5B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Mechanics Institute – Awarded To Whitman Burrell & Company For Portable Engine Boiler For Agricultural & Dairy Purposes – 1873

Iowa State Agricultural Society
Silver Medal- 1887

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 6F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #6 has a diameter of 2 ¼ inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) Iowa State Capital – Des Moines
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER: 15 – 26 (6)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 6B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Iowa State Agricultural Society – 1887 – Awarded to the Danish Western Centrifuge – The Machine Ranking Best In General Contest And exhibited by T.Mower – Cedar Rapids, Iowa – State Agents

D H Burrell & Company
Columbus Exposition
World’s Fair – Chicago, Illinois
Bronze Medal – 1892

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 7F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #7 has a diameter of 3 inches
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) Christopher Colvmbvs – PLVS VLTRA – OCT – XII – MCCCCXCII
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 27 (7)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 7B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) World’s Columbus Exposition In Commemorate of the Four Hundredth Anniversary of the Landing of Columbus – MDCCCXCII – To D H Burrell & CO – C E Barber FECIT

D.H. Burrell & Company
Exposition Universelle Internationale
World’s Fair – Paris, France
Bronze Medal – 1900

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 8F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #8 has a diameter of 2 ½
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) Exposition Universal International -1900 – D H Burrell
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 28 (8)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 8B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of medallion) Republique Francaise

Lewis & Clark Centennial
Portland, Oregon
No Engraving

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 9F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #9 has a diameter of 2 ½
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) Centennial Exposition – Portland, Oregon, US – 1905
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 29 (9)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 9B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of medallion) No Engraving

Panama – Pacific Exposition
San Francisco, California
Silver Medal Award – 1915

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 10F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #10 has a diameter of 2 ¾ inches.
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion) DIVINE DISIVNCTA IVNXIT HOMO
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 30 (10)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 10B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of Medallion) Panama – Pacific International Exposition San Francisco – Medal of Award -MCMXV

100th Anniversary
Charles C. Kellogg Company
Utica, New York – 1927

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 11F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #11 has a diameter of 2 ⅞ inches.
INSCRIPTIONS:
Charles C. Kellogg and Sons Company – Utica, New York – 1827~1927 – One Hundred Years Of Service
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 31 (11)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 11B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of medallion) From Left to Right: WHOLESALE – East Spruce CANAL North Spruce Hemlock-LUMBER AUTO EXPRESS Black River Adirondacks West Shore KELLOGG WAREHOUSE UTICA N.Y.C. & H.R.R.R. O.& W.D.L. & W. PARCEL POST MILLWORK -West Doors Sash Millwork TROLLEY South Hardwood Flooring Yellow Pine

75th Anniversary
Crane Company – 1930

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 12F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #12 has a diameter of 2 ⅜ inches.
INSCRIPTION:
(Front of Medallion)1855 – Seventy-Fifth – Anniversary – 1930 | Crane Co. – R I Crane Founder
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 32 (12)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 12B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of medallion)1930 – Crane And Plumbing
Chicago – July Fourth 1855

Curtiss Wright Airplane Division
Buffalo, New York
World War II “E” Product Award
Plants one & Two – 1942

FrontBack

FRONT: Burrell Medallion 13F

DIMENSIONS:
Medallion #13 has a diameter of 3 inches.
INSCRIPTION:
Curtiss – Wright Corporation -Airplane Division Buffalo, NY – Plants One and Two – August 20, 1942 – ARMY “E” NAVY
PROVENANCE:
Gifted by Burrell Fisher – June 2015
OBJECT ID NUMBER:
15 – 33 (13)

BACK: Burrell Medallion 13B

INSCRIPTION:
(Back of medallion) Presented In Appreciation Of Your Participation In The Earning Of This PRODUCTION AWARD – Curtiss – Wright Corp. -Airplane Division – Buffalo, NY

Little Falls Historical Society Museum Exhibits

All 10 /Current Exhibits 3 /Ongoing Exhibits 6 /Past Exhibits 4 /Virtual Exhibits 0

The Little Falls Historical Society Museum

First U.S. Cheese Market Exhibit