Tillamook cheesemakers pose with a cheese inspector and milk inspector in 1931.

Here’s another golden oldie from our archive in honor of our Monterey Jack and Colby Jack cheeses winning Best of Class in their categories at the 2011 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest®. Can you tell that we are proud?

In this photo, four of the cheesemakers from across the county posed with the awards they won for their cheese in 1931. Left to right: Alfred Long, Red Clover Creamery; Floyd Culbertson, Maple Leaf Creamery Association; Norman Christensen, Tillamook Creamery; and Hugh Barber, Holstein Creamery. Pictured with the cheesemakers are Fred Christiansen, cheese inspector, and Guy Ford, milk inspector.

In the 1930s alone, cheesemakers in the Tillamook area won at least 81 awards, none of which were less than a second place. At that time, it seems like you could enter just about any state fair, even if you didn’t live there.  Awards came from all over the western half of the country, including the Arizona State Fair, California State Fair, Colorado State Fair, Los Angeles County Fair, Midland Empire Fair, Montana State Fair, National Dairy Exposition, Oregon State Fair, Pacific International Show, Pacific Slope Dairy Products Show, Spokane Interstate Fair and Livestock Show, Washington State Fair, Western Washington Fair, and the Wyoming State Fair. Just to name a few.

We are proud of our tradition and that our cheesemakers continue to excel at making some of the best cheese in the country.