Waukesha Dairy Pavilion site

With more cattle than people and more Guernsey cattle than the island of Guernsey, Waukesha county earned nicknames like "Cow County, USA" and the "Guernsey capital of America". From 1920 through the mid-century, the Waukesha Dairy Pavilion was the epicenter for the agrarian economy of the county. Half of the milk produced in Waukesha was sold to creameries, condenseries, cheese factories, and a malted milk factory in the county and the other half was sold as liquid milk to Milwaukee and Chicago. During the 1920's and 1930's, it was the home for the annual agricultural fair and dairy shows; as well as a Green Market. The location of the former home of the Waukesha Dairy Pavilion was on the banks of the Fox River near the Barstow Street dam which is the location of the River's Edge apartments today.

The idea for the livestock sales pavilion was presented around 1913 in the Waukesha Freeman. In his inaugural address to the city counsel, Mayor Dopp encouraged the businessmen of Waukesha to work together with the interests of the purebred sales in mind. The different cattle associations were able to come together and formed the Waukesha County Livestock association.

After looking at 21 different locations, they settled on the site facing the Fox River near the Barstow Street dam. The pavilion cost around $19,000 to build and consisted of a stable and dairy showroom. The main showroom was constructed of brick with an arched ceiling supported by steel tresses. Above the main entrance and continuing into the dairy barn was a mural which included life size pictures of the county's most popular dairy breeds.

The initial purpose of the Waukesha Livestock association was the funding and construction of the sales pavilion and arena for public purposes. It was comprised of 2 directors each from the Guernsey & Holstein association; 1 each from Jersey and Brown Swiss associations.; and 2 businessmen.  The association also organized sales, registered purebreds, guaranteed disease free stock, and encourage improved cattle breeding techniques.

Between completion of construction of the pavilion, in 1918, and 1959 the Waukesha County Sales Pavilion was an international location of dairy sales. The five main dairy breeds sold at the pavilion were Holstein-Friesians (commonly called Holstein), Guernsey, Brown Swiss, Jersey, and Ayrshire. The annual dairy show was started in 1918 by then county agent J.E. Stallard and a committee of live stock breeders for 4-H members to show their calf's. After it's success, the committee decided to hold a show for the older stock and the first show was held in March 1919. Annually in March, the pavilion was packed as spectators watched from the balcony as the best of the dairy animals were paraded around the ring for judging and prizes. The high quality of cattle bred in Waukesha was especially noted at the 1920 National Dairy Show held in Chicago, IL when Waukesha stock took 5 of the 6 grand champion titles (no Brown Swiss were entered that year).

By 1920, the show added swine, sheep, farm crops, milk and cream judging contests and became known as the Waukesha County Dairy and Agriculture Show. Along with junior departments, women's departments were added as the show grew every year. The March timeframe of the show did add a difficulty in 1923, when the show was postponed due to a snow storm. Other difficult years were in 1933 when the show was held the day after F.D.R closed the banks for a week and in 1945 when some objected to holding the show with the ongoing war. The pavilion also hosted a Home Show and the Green Market.

In January of 1960, the Waukesha County Live Stock Breeders association disbanded and put the Sales Pavilion up for sale. It was purchased by Joseph H and Lila Korber for use as a furniture store and then in early 1977 was sold to Porters of Racine and opened under the name Creighton Barrows Warehouse. In 1984, the property was purchased by Michael Guerino with the intention of making it into a restaurant and banquet hall, but he abandoned the project after about a year. After being vacant for nearly a decade, the pavilion was demolished in 1990 to make way for developer Bryce Styza's River's Edge apartment complex.

Waukesha Historical Society and Museum. Farm Books, Dairying, Dairy Show, Sales Pavilion. Volume S129.W2 W-38.

Waukesha Landmarks Commission. Cow County U.S.A., 1972 - Special Issue. Accessed October 21st 2022.