Hygienic Dairy Company

=Hygienic Dairy Company=

The Hygienic Dairy Company began operations on November 26, 1916.

The plant was located at 235 High Street in Watertown, NY.

The company was organized by Henry M Brown, a Watertown attorney. The source of the dairy's product was Northern New York's vast milkshed. The dairy was one of the first to use a pasteurization process to purify the milk, and to improve milk quality.

In January of 1917, Henry's brother Clarence A. Brown was employed as general manager of the Hygienic Dairy plant. Clarence Brown was elected secretary-treasurer of the company in 1917 and continued in both positions until 1923 when he was elected president and treasurer, all-the-while remaining general manager.

Under his management, the company experienced tremendous growth, shipping milk and cream by railroad carloads to New York City and other markets, while operating the largest local milk distribution facility.

The Browns obtained ownership of other dairy operations in Cape Vincent, Adams, Ogdensburg, Theresa, and Utica.

On January 1, 1950, the Hygienic Dairy opened a new plant at 148 North Pleasant St., Watertown, replacing the High St plant that had been used for the previous 33 years. In 1957, Clarence Brown sold his interest in Hygienic Dairy to the Borden Company. Borden made cottage cheese at the plant until closing it in 1989. It was later used by Ogilvie Foods to process whey into whey powder. That operation failed and plans are underway to develop the property as housing, or possibly a park.

The High St property was demolished in 1972, and the property sold to Murray Belcher of Watertown Builder's Supply.

Brown passed away in 1974, leaving an estate of more than four million dollars.