Growing up in Little Lehigh Parkway, now called Little Lehigh Manor by the Realtors, the milkman was an early morning fixture. Almost every house had the insulated aluminum milkbox. The milk trucks were distinctive, and the drivers wore a uniform, indicative of their responsibility. Freeman's milk was the best by test, or so the slogan said. Their trucks were red and immaculate. The dairy building still stands, a quarter block north of 13th and Tilghman Streets. They competed with a giant, Lehigh Valley Co-Operative Farmers. That dairy, on the Allentown/Whitehall border, just north of the Sumner Avenue Bridge on 7th Street, even sported an ice cream parlor. Milk, up to the mid 50's, came in a bottle. The milkman would take the empties away when delivering your fresh order. In addition to white and chocolate, they produced strawberry milk in the summer. About once a week the milkman would knock on the door to settle up; times have changed.
Occasionally the bottle, and later the cartons, would feature themes and advertisements. A picture of Hopalong Cassidy would entertain young boys as they poured milk into their Corn Flakes. Earlier, during the War, (Second World) bottles would encourage customers to do their part; buy a bond or scrap some metal for the war effort.
reprinted from January 2013
Wow, that time and era sounded peaceful. Does the name Paul Fiske ring a bell?
ReplyDeleteluiz@9:09, I know paul for years. more than a retired dairy man, he has done much to honor our veterans.
ReplyDeleteMichael & Luiz,
ReplyDeleteThank You Both, For kindly mentioning this "old man", and proud Allentownian/Military Veteran!
The best 12 years of my life, after returning from nearly 10 years overseas, was spent at Freeman's Dairy as a Wholesale Distributor in Downtown/Center City Allentown at the end of this Glorious Era. From 1970 to 1982
"The Old Allentown Curmudgeon"
Paul J. Fiske
When I moved here in the 1970s Freeman's Dairy was still a 'player' in the Allentown area. I was impressed by the respect so many had for Mr. Frank, who I believe was the then-GM and whose son was a local radio personality.
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteThanks for memories. We still have a Freeman's Dairy can on our front porch. When we moved into our home on Walnut Street in Hamilton Park in 1974 we got milk delivered to our home, along with butter, eggs, and juice. It was great. I don't recall when it stopped, but we missed having the deliveries to our door. My family had a small grocery store in the Sixth Ward on Tilghman Street and all we sold was Freeman's Dairy milk. Our distributor was J. Raymond Cramsey, who had a long political career in Allentown as a City Council member. He had a lovely home on Ridge Avenue near Turner Street in the First Ward. I remember Freeman's Dairy having a Cherry flavored milk in February, in honor of George Washington. It was one of my favorites and Mr. Cramsey would always be sure to have an extra bottle delivered to our store, just for me.
Tony Hanna
Josh,
ReplyDeleteEarl Frank had two sons. One son Jim Frank worked in the second floor office office (13th & Greens Sts) as Finance Manger.
Louis E. Morton,
They also had the best Chocolate Milk and Iced Tea produced anywhere in the Greater Lehigh Valley area.
I was a Wholesaler to Markets and Stores (including Restaurants) But I believe that the Cramsey's (J. Raymond helped start Freeman's Dairy in the 1920's, along with Bob Freeman), Continued selling retail door to door well into the late '70's, if memory serves right.....I knew Bill and Georgie Cramsey (his sons) quite well!!
Oh! the Good Old Days!! HA!
Paul J. Fiske (The Old Allentown Curmudgeon)
Thanks for the note, Paul. I agree, Freeman's had the best Chocolate Milk and Iced Tea anywhere. I loved going to their dairy on Twelfth Street. The red tile floors were immaculate and always spotless. We used to go there for school field trips and because my family had a store, I would occasionally go there with my father or grandfather.
ReplyDeleteTony Hanna
Brings back memories of elementary school and seeing crates of Freeman's milk--glad to know it was a golden time for the company.
ReplyDeleteFor whatever reason--I was a "red box" white milk guy. 20 cents for a half pint (I think).
Thank you for this heartwarming post.