Cooperation among dairy farms produced efficiencies because not every farm had to bottle and deliver their own supply; instead, the milk would be sold to the cooperative, where additional products like butter, cream, sour cream, ice cream, and more could be made and delivered. While less popular than pasteurized milk, some customers still wanted raw milk, and the dairy cooperative ensured it would be clean and safe. Delivery routes were divided based on the geography of the island, and agreements were made between milkmen about routes, although some competition was still present. Milkmen tempted consumers to change drivers by giving free samples of products they considered superior or offering reduced prices. Drivers were up before sunrise to complete their routes, seven days a week, all year long. In summer, it was important to deliver milk early, before the heat or sun risked spoiling. This flurry of activity slowly wound down and, “In the late 1970’s, the day of the small dairy was coming to an end, largely due to the growing popularity of large chain grocery stores. These stores drew customers away from the “mom and pop.” grocery stores, which people now used only for occasional shopping. These little stores had been an important wholesale market for small dairies, whose sales then suffered as well. The chain stores were buying milk products, but only from large producers who could contract to provide huge quantities at low prices, something small dairies could not do.” The last dairy plant on MDI was Clark’s Dairy in Southwest Harbor, which was a bottling and distribution center; they did not own or milk their own cows. In 1980, Clark’s sold their business to Hancock County Creamery in Ellsworth, and the plant became MDI Spring Water. Descendant John Clark is passionate about preserving MDI’s dairy history. His extensive collection and online catalog of dairy history documents this important and once prevalent part of the economic and cultural fabric of the island. The dairies might be gone, but once you know how to look, their history is still written on the landscape.
Download the free MDI history tour MDI History Adventure
WHAT HAPPENED HERE?
A History Adventure Wherever you are on MDI something interesting happened! Download our free MDI History Adventure app to start exploring over 20 sites located in every island community. You will see new places and learn new things about Mount Desert Island and discover how our communities are unique, yet interconnected. Download the MDI History Adventure App for MacOS or Android at the Apple or Google Play stores, or scan the QR code below to access on the web.
Essential History For Your Island Adventure Somesville Museums & Gardens 3 Oak Hill Rd, Somesville | Tues - Sat 10 AM - 4 PM Explore the history of MDI through the towns, traditions, and people who have shaped the island into what we know today. Know Before You Go gives an overview of our history, connecting the villages and larger events that bind MDI into one island community. From here, the exhibit and mobile app help you keep exploring. The Sound Schoolhouse operated as a school for the children of the quarrying and farming families of Somes Village from 1892 until 1926. The permenant exhibit here tells the story of the schools on Mount Desert Island around the turn of the 20th century. Sound Schoolhouse, Offices, & Archives 373 Sound Drive, Mount Desert | Mon - Fri 10 AM to 4 PM
Admission at both campuses is a suggested $5 donation. Members and children free
Raney Bench is the executive director for the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. The full article, including all citations, is in Chebacco: The Art of Nourishment, 2025, and is reprinted with permission from the MDI Historical Society.
Contact Us Phone: 207-276-9323 Email: info@mdihistory.org PO Box 653 Mount Desert, ME 04660
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