Property: Hendren--Wildwood Cheese Factory
Contact: Janet

Surnames: Suda, Gerlach, Rogalski

----Sources: Glass Plate Photo contributed by the Clark Co., Press, Neillsville, Wis., Photos from Janet Rogalski, Family Records

Wildwood Cheese Factory was also known as Suda's Cheese Factory.

The building and business was built and developed by William Gerlach, located five miles west of Longwood (on N), one mile south and one mile west. The Oakland school was on the same intersection.

Mandy and Louie Suda married sisters, Mary and Jennie. The two couples purchased the Wildwood Cheese Factory in 1931.

Along with the cheese factory, was a grocery store, tavern and gasoline sales with a pump in front of the building. As one of the previous owners stated, "We were kept very busy - there was a lot of work to be done each day." The cheese operation made cheddar and Colby cheese.

During the "milk strike" of the 30's, their factory was broken into, and the faucets on all three milk tanks were opened - the contents emptied, lost. That was the time of the Depression when businesses had "rough going," so the loss of that much milk added to their financial stress as the patrons still had to be paid.

After fourteen years in the business, the two Suda couples sold the Wildwood Cheese Factory.

The Suda Bros., Wildwood Cheese Factory of Willard, Hendren Township, Clark Co., Wisconsin, is pictured above.