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The storied relationship of Wisconsin and cheese began as a quick fix for dairy farmer’s excess milk. In the 1830s, farmers like Charles Rockwell became interested in the long shelf life of cheese. It became the perfect solution for getting rid of unused milk, since storing or selling milk was rather complicated at the time.
Then, in the 1850s, cheese making became a craft, with attention spent on temperature and proper storage – leading to better taste.
The first cheese factory opened in Fond du Lac County in 1864, with a focus not just on commercialization, but a more uniform product.
– Margot Calmar, The 100 Companies