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Glenwood Cheese Factory Museum

Interior display in Glenwood Cheese Factory Museum.

Sometimes the best roadside stops are the ones you weren’t planning.

We were driving into Glenwood for fresh donuts from Tina’s Cafe & Bakery when we spotted a sign for Glenwood Pioneer Ice Cream Parlour Cheese Factory Museum. With a soft spot for quirky small-town museums, my daughter and I instantly begged the boys for a detour.

Turns out Tina’s and the Ice Cream Parlour slash Museum are about three plots apart from each other. Not much of a detour!

Land Acknowledgement

This land has welcomed First Nations from across Turtle Island, and settlers and visitors from around the world. Alberta lands are part of Treaties 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10, and the homeland of the Métis.

Alberta Mamas respects and celebrates the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit nations. We are striving to better listen, understand, and learn from the Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

We are all Treaty people.

Glenwood Cheese Factory Museum

Mural in Glenwood of the Cheese Factory Museum with a red truck in front of it. Text reads "The 10 years following the Great Depression, were difficult. Folks had home farms, so there was food; but NO money! and No jobs! ...D. members wanted to help the economy. A decision was made to build a cheese factory here. It opened July 18, 1941 and was an immediate success. The infusion of purchasing power was felt by the entire district. The factory put Glenwood on the map. In 1981 changes in government regulations and requirements began the end of Glenwood Cheese. November 15, 2005 the last batch of cheese was made."

The shop exists for the ice cream parlour, and we completely confused the lady behind the counter when we enthusiastically announced, “We’re here for the museum!”

The museum is a collection cheese making artifacts with framed cards explaining their significance to varying levels of detail, along with some historic photos and newpaper articles. There’s also a series of murals around town that preserve the story of Glenwood’s once-famous cheese factory.

It’s the kind of place where you’ll spend five or ten minutes reading signs, appreciating a piece of local history, and continuing on your way, a fresh bit of trivia tucked away.

For families who enjoy discovering Alberta’s hidden gems, it’s a worthwhile little detour – especially if you’re already visiting Glenwood and craving ice cream!

The Story Behind Glenwood Cheese

Interior display in Glenwood Cheese Factory Museum.

The displays tell the story of how difficult the years following the Great Depression were for local families. Although many residents could grow food on their farms, jobs and cash were scarce. To help strengthen the local economy, community members came together to build a cooperative cheese factory.

The U.L.D. Cooperative Cheese Factory Ltd. officially opened on July 18, 1941 after two years of consideration and construction.

The buying power created by the daily demand for farm milk to produce cheese was an immediate success.

An historic newspaper article describes the first week of operation with just over 3000 pounds of milk being processed on opening day, and finishing the week with 2600 pounds of cheese. As production increased, new milk routes were added, allowing 7000 pounds of milk to be used daily, producing about 700 pounds of cheese.

Photo of two men standing in front of a truck filled with milk pails, ready to unload into the Glenwood Cheese Factory. Caption on the photo reads "Ned Davidson - Cheese Maker; Edward Leavitt - Board President; Awarded for First Grade Cheese 1941

The factory was lead by Ned Davidson, the cheesemaker and longtime manager, who devoted his life to the skill, often spending 15-18 hours a day at the factory. For over 30 years, Glenwood Cheese won top provincial honours, with Davidson simply selecting a wheel of cheese from regular production.

Changing provincial regulations and farming focus gradually brought cheese production to an end in Glenwood. The last batch of cheese was made in late 2005 and the factory now produces skim milk powder.

Featured Relic: Steam Boiler

Certainly the largest and most storied piece on display is the original steam boiler used by the cheese factory.

Its story begins in Leeds, England in 1909 where it was created to work in tandem with another boiler as part of a cable plow system. The massive steam-powered equipment first worked on sugar plantations in Cuba before making its way to Southern Alberta, where it was used for agriculture work around Raymond associated with the sugar factory.

The boiler sat idle between world wars, before finding its final home at the Glenwood Cheese Factory, where it supplied steam for cheesemaking and cleaning for about 30 years.

Fun fact: The boiler’s whistle was blown every day at noon until nearby chicken farmers complained that the noise was affecting their hens’ egg production.

Worth the Stop?

Photo of the display of "wooden shoes worn by cheesemakers" at Glenwood Cheese Factory.
Photo of equipment display at Glenwood Cheese Factory Museum. Framed descriptions read "Renne plays a major role in the agin process of cheddar cheese in that it breaks down the casein into its component parts viz: These combined with the lactose and the fatty acids from the milk fat constitute the characteristic flavour of medium and aged cheddar cheese." And "Cheese Color: A vegetable product made from annatto bean, used at the rate of 1-2 ounces per 1,000# of milk It is water soluble." Also "Laboratory", "Curd Pail", "Milk Test Shakers" and "Used by federal graders and others, to sample and grade each vat of cheese."

If you’re looking for a destination museum, this isn’t it. But if you love discovering Alberta’s small local museums, enjoy roadside attractions, or appreciate learning the stories behind small communities, the Cheese Factory Museum is a fun five-minute stop.

Pair it with a visit to Tina’s Cafe & Bakery for donuts, or grab an ice cream while you’re in the shop, and check out the spray park. It’s surprising how much Glenwood has to offer a tourist!

Photo of a mural outside the Fire Hall Building in Glenwood. Text reads ""If you don't have water, you don't have anything." and "The first years were hard, hauling river water. Windmills and wells brought the water closer. In 1919 the United Irrigation District was formed. Using horses and fresnos, in two years 172 miles of ditches and canals were dug bringing water to crops and gardens. In 1963 Glenwood installed a town water system. In 1986 the system was upgraded to use water from an artesian well. The town system and the U.I.D. network continue to supply the area with water for all its needs."
Photo of a mural outside the Cheese Factory Museum in Glenwood. Text on it reads "A crucial element in the success of making cheese, cheese maker. In this the factory board hit the They hired a local man from Mountain View The name and reputation of GLENWOOD CHEESE the long survival of the factory is the result of the skill, integrity and commitment of Ned as cheese maker and manager. He was meticulous in making cheese and put in 16 - 18 hours a day. For 30+ years, GLENWOOD CHEESE took ist place in the Province. In all that time, Ned never made a "special batch" to enter the contests; but would just take a round from the shelves for the competition. Very few folks are alive who remember the flavor- is the jack pot! Ned Davidson and quality of our GLENWOOD CHEESE."
Photo of a mural of a cow in a farmer's field outside the Cheese Factory Museum in Glenwood. Text reads "A very important requirement for a cheese factory operation, is a supply of milk. It was determined that there were enough producers of milk to keep a factory going. At first, the milk was a combination of many breeds of cows. Eventually, quality daıry cows were imported to the area by a few farmers who gradually increased herds and upgraded facilities, ensuring an adequate supply for the factory. In time the local dairy farms have dwindled. The factory now produces skim milk powder, with most of the milk coming from afar."

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