CALHOUN DAIRY
From the Re-Echo

Carl H. Pehrson was a milk delivery business that had customers in south Minneapolis and did business as Calhoun Dairy. He bought milk daily from the Engell Dairy. When Carol Tranberg (Carl’s daughter) read the information on the Engell Dairy in the Re-Echo she took the time to write the following paragraphs:

The company name came from the Engell Dairy. Engell had several registered names including Lake Calhoun Dairy, which dad shortened. Perhaps you wonder about retail milk delivery. In those days, people had milk delivered to their home daily because it did not stay fresh for more than a few days. No preservatives were added to any dairy products. Families did grocery shopping once every week or two. Another factor was that some people were still using ice boxes until electric refrigerators gradually replaced them.

Each morning Carl drove to the creamery, Engell Dairy, 4900 Excelsior Boulevard in St. Louis Park. He picked up the estimated amount of milk, buttermilk, coffee cream and whipping cream he expected to sell that day. Milk was bottled in round one quart bottles about four inches in diameter on the lower half tapering to a two inch diameter on the top. At that time milk was not homogenized, and the bottle design was a good indication of the richness of the milk. Cream rises to the top, the deeper the cream line the more butterfat it had. Regular milk was 3.5% BF. Some people poured the cream off the top to be used separately but most used whole milk, shaking it before each use. Coffee cream was 20% BF, whipping cream 35% BF. Both were sold in pint and half pint bottles.

Carl took care in keeping the milk at a cool temperature while on the truck. In summer he used twenty five and fifty pound blocks of ice on top of the wood and metal twelve quart milk cases. A heavy canvas tarp covered the entire load. During the winter heat was needed in back of the truck to prevent the products from freezing. When the milkman came, the lady of the house paid for the purchases; some charged by the week or even by the month. At the end of the day, the drivers balanced their cash, charges and returned products not sold. There were many different milk companies, and competition was always keen. Carl gave extra service. Some customers wanted milk put into the ice box or refrigerator, even wiping the bottles and putting the fresh ones behind that from the day before. The paper lids on the bottles were dated for the day they were to be delivered. For those who wanted their delivery left outside, he made wooden milk boxes. Each could hold three quart bottles.

Over the years new dairy products were added. Cottage cheese was sold in twelve ounce jars. Sweet cream butter was sold in one and two pound crocks. Five percent and skim milk were also added. Later a homogenizing process was developed. By homogenizing the milk butterfat was broken down so that it mixed evenly with the low fat portion of the milk. No longer did the customer have to shake the bottle.

Carl continued his milk business through the WW II years of the 1940’s. That brought on gas and tire rationing. As a result, Carl began three day a week delivery; Monday, Wednesday and Friday for some and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for others. In 1952, after more than twenty five years in the business, Carl was offered a purchase price and sold.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.