Property Record
2200 STURDEVANT ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | PAGE MILK FACTORY |
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| Other Name: | D.C. Motors |
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| Reference Number: | 21897 |
| Location (Address): | 2200 STURDEVANT ST |
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| County: | Lincoln |
| City: | Merrill |
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| Year Built: | 1925 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1991 |
| Historic Use: | industrial building |
| Architectural Style: | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
| Structural System: | Unknown |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | The Page Milk Company is significant under Criterion A as a historically important industry to Merrill. It was the only industry in Merrill's history which produced canned evaporated milk, powdered mil and creamery butter. It was a major industry from 1925 to 1973. The Page Milk Company organized in 1925 by R.B. Page and a number of local investors. It was the hope of the local investors that a milk company would help ioncrease local dairy production. The plant was built by local contractor Gustav Torkelson. Enthusiasm for the company was so great that they took in 6,320 pounds of milk on November 1, 1925. Prominent Merrill residents involved with Page Milks executives were R.B. Page, George L. Gilkey, George B. Page and H.A. Page. Page Milk Company was a large contributor of canned milk to the military during World War II. By the 1960s the demand for canned milk dimished so much that Page Milk was the last of canned milk producers in Wisconsin, after the number had peaked at 44 one decade earlier. The Page Milk Company discontinued operations in 1973. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. Merrill City Directories, 1893-1945, located at T.B. Scott Library, Merrill, Wisconsin. B. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1884-1948, located on microfilm at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |