The Krall family in front of the cheese factory circa 1940.
The Gibson Farmers’ Co-Operative Cheese Factory was located at the corner of Jambo Creek Road and TaPaWingo Road in the Town of Gibson. The cheese factory history below was provided by Bert Zipperer:
“My Mom’s parents, Joe and Lillian Krall, operated the cheese factory for the farmers’ co-operative from 1933 to 1942.
My Auntie Corkie (Corrine) was born in 1933, and my Mom (Geraldine) was born in 1938. My Mom went on to be a licensed cheesemaker in her own adult life — making cheese with my Dad in School Hill and outside Brillion from 1959 to 1987.
The Krall family moved to the village of Manitowoc Rapids in 1942, and Grandpa worked for the Reedsville Farmers’ Co-Op for many years. Later, in 1951, he bought the Texaco Service Station — next to the Bohemian Opera House — at the corner of 8th Street and Chicago Street in downtown Manitowoc. They operated that business until November of 1966.”
This historic photos on this page were likely taken by Lester C. Stueck (1904-1986) and his wife, Norma Foreman Stueck (1909-2002). On the back of one of the images is the inscription, “to the best cheesemaker” and “from Lester and Norma Stueck.”
The Gibson Farmers’ Co-Operative Cheese Factory circa 1940.
Long after the factory ceased making cheese, the building fell into a state of disrepair. The following photos were taken by Michael Steeber on November 20, 2013:
Tags: gibson, cheese factory, tapawingo, jambo creek, co-op, co-operative, zipperer, krall, krofta
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