Glendale in Maricopa County, Arizona — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Dairy Barn
at Sahuaro Ranch…
Although some cows were probably always kept on the ranch to supply fresh milk and butter, it was not until after Richard W. Smith bought Sahuaro Ranch in 1927 that dairy cows were raised here commercially.
At first the Smith family sold only bulk milk. The cows were milked in the dairy barn, which was built in 1928, and the milk shipped to local dairies in cans. In 1932, under the supervision of Smith's son, Richard S. Smith, a retail dairy was established on the ranch and this milk house was built.
The first step in processing the milk was pasteurizing it to kill bacteria; this was done by heating the raw milk with steam from the boiler located outside the building. After refrigeration in a large built-in cooler, containers of milk were carried up to the pour room and drained into the separator below, which by centrifugal action divided the liquid into milk and cream.
On the Ranch Today
The dairy barn and milk house remain virtually unchanged since the late 1940s, when the Smiths stopped producing milk and closed the dairy. The pour room atop the exterior stairway was at one time moved away from the milk house, but it was reattached when the buildings were restored in the 1990s.
[Photo captions follow]
[Top left]
These two men worked as milkers for the Sahuaro Jersey Dairy. They are standing in front of the east end of the Dairy Barn. The Milk House is to the left and the back of the Blacksmith Shop is visible to the right. (Photo courtesy of the Glendale, Arizona Historical Society).
[Left center]
This view of the south side of the Milk House is from the 1930s, showing the lush vegetation around the Ranch as well as some of the original power lines and transformer. The tall structure on the roof is a cooling tower, which no longer exists. (Photo courtesy of Richard Smith).
Erected by Glendale Parks & Recreation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.
Location. 33° 34.608′ N, 112° 11.348′ W. Marker is in Glendale, Arizona, in Maricopa County. Marker is about 200 feet northwest of the Foreman's House, at Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9802 North 59th Avenue, Glendale AZ 85302, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Barnyard (a few steps from this marker); Blacksmith and Machine Shop (a few steps from this marker); Well House (within shouting distance of this marker); Stable / Granary (within shouting distance of this marker); Corrals and Tack House (within shouting distance of this marker); Foreman's House (within shouting distance of this marker); Fruit Packing Shed (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Water & Power (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glendale.
Also see . . . History of Milk Production. (Submitted on March 5, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 29, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 5, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 862 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 5, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.