A Brief Look at Abilene's Historic Buildings: the Belle Springs Creamery

The Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum recently featured the exhibit City on the Plains: A Look at Abilene Architecture.  The following is a brief look at the Belle Springs Creamery.

Courtesy of the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum.

This longtime Abilene business actually began in the small Dickinson County town of Belle Springs, a community settled by River Brethren families from Pennsylvania.  The original creamery was developed for the purpose of manufacturing butter.  In 1892, a new creamery was built outside of Abilene in Prospect Park.  The large brick creamery that is pictured here was built in 1902 in Abilene close to the original location of the Drover’s Cottage, Abilene’s largest hotel during the cattle town days.  The Belle Springs Creamery produced ice and many dairy products, including butter, cheese, and ice cream.  The David and Ida Eisenhower family moved to Abilene due to David acquiring employment at the creamery.  He would hold a position there for over twenty years.  His son Dwight, future General and President, also worked for the Belle Springs Creamery before leaving Abilene to begin his military career.

Courtesy of the Jeffcoat Photography Studio Museum.