It’s June Dairy Month! So today’s WHAT takes us to 121 South Second Avenue on Wausau’s westside – the Kleinheinz Dairy Company milk plant.
The dairy has been an important presence in the neighborhood since it was built in 1926. Many neighbors remember stopping in for ice cream.
Architect Fred Fielder designed it in a commercial vernacular style. The brickwork shows many special details along the second story. The company’s name is displayed just below the roofline.
John Kleinheinz started the city’s first pasturized dairy plant in about 1914 when he moved from Madison to Wausau. His brothers soon moved to the area joined the business. The dairy expanded into cheese as well in 1920.
In 1926 the new facility on Second Avenue was opened. A big celebration was held when it opened. Thousands of people came to see the electric machinery used for automated bottling.
The dairy was purchased by large firm called Bridgeman Russel in 1945. They hired a manager named Snider. He gathered up some cash and bought enough stock to take over that branch of the dairy. Once he owned the stock he renamed it Sneider Dairy in 1958.
In 1978 it was bought out by Golden Guernsey and remained open to 1999. Golden Guernsey went under in 2013.
This soecial building is currently awaiting its next chapter.
