Cheese factory provided strong local economy
Cheese factory provided strong local economy
Written by Jim Dawson Sunday, 07 January 2007
During the early twentieth century, Round Rock was still primarily an agricultural community. The cotton industry had fallen on hard times, with price and yields falling dramatically. Brothers and local businessmen Carl and Thomas Nelson surveyed the Wisconsin cheese industry and determined that a cheese factory would revive Round Rock’s sagging economy.
After extensive interviews, August Kaufman was hired to head the operation and remained at that position for 20 years. The Round Rock Cheese Factory opened in January 1928 on the west side of Georgetown Avenue north of Brushy Creek.
On the first day of operation, the factory processed 800 pounds of milk from 20 area farmers. Word spread quickly, and more farmers were added to the milk routes. The factory paid 30 cents per 100 pounds of milk and issued checks twice a month. For many farmers these checks were their only source of income.
The Armour Company purchased the factory after its first year of operation and began an extensive expansion project. New equipment arrived by boxcar loads and the size of the factory doubled.
During the Depression in the 1930s, the cheese factory paid approximately $15,000 to the farmers each month, two-thirds of the total payroll for the entire town of Round Rock. It is estimated the factory saved more than 900 families from destitute circumstances.
The creamy, yellow, mild-flavored cheese was sold for local distribution and was also shipped in 500 pound barrels to Springfield, Mo. to be used in various types of cheese foods. From start to finish it took about five hours to make a vat of cheese.
The high quality of the cheese was attributed not only to the talents of the cheese maker, but to the quality of milk supplied by local dairymen. In 1929, Round Rock Cheese Factory was awarded a silver medal at the National Dairy Show in Memphis, Tenn. and also won a first-place ribbon at the Texas State Fair that fall.
When the factory was sold and relocated in 1968, it was the oldest plant in continuous operation in the state.
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