Property: Reber Cheese Factories
Contact: Janet

Surnames: Reber
 

Walter Reber had two cheese factories. The one pictured below was the Pleasant Ridge Factory, located north of the present Neillsville Airport.

The second cheese factory owned by Mr. Reber was located at Kurth Corners, along Highway 10. The property was later owned by Harold and Alice Gaier. The former factory building was extensively remodeled into a home. To see this factory and the barn in the background, click on the link below the first picture.

News Clips

----Source: Clark County Press, July 1941

Craig Asplin of Greenwood and George Sher of Loyal, who recently purchased the former Walter Reber Cheese factory in the Town of Grant, will continue making Swiss cheese there as the market warrants. The factory, which is located at Kurth’s Corners, has for years been known for its Swiss cheese.

Walter Reber, who formerly owned it, sold the factory in May of 1950 to Herman Hediger. Mr. Reber is now farming at Kurth’s Corners. Herman Hediger owns a butter factory at Christie and will continue running his butter factory after Mr. Asplin and Mr. Sher take possession of the cheese factory. Mr. Asplin and Mr. Sher plan to operate the cheese factory on a partnership basis.

----Source: Clark County Press, May 1946

Pleasant Ridge Creamery Co.; 4 miles southeast of Neillsville, factory has been closed for sometime.

Walter Reber; North Star Factory, 3 miles west of Granton; closed as an independent operation, but Mr. Reber maintains the patronage and continues the business at his nearby East Pleasant Ridge Cheese Factory.

(The East Pleasant Ridge Factory was located along the road that now enters the Neillsville Airport property. Dee Zimmerman)

----Source: Clark County Press, June 1950.

Walter Reber has sold his cheese factory and business at Kurth Corners to Herman Hediger. Mr. Hediger took possession May 10 and is operating the factory. The product will be Swiss cheese, as in the past, and also with some American cheese.

Walter Reber has been running the factory at Kurth Corners for nearly 14 years. He has mostly made Swiss cheese. This was his third factory, owned and managed by himself.

The deal with Mr. Hediger did not include the farmland owned by Mr. Reber. This land is rented out. Mr. Reber will continue to hold it.

Mr. Reber is continuing at the factory for a few weeks, while he is curing and marketing the last of the Swiss cheese made under his ownership. Thereafter he plans to go for a visit to Switzerland, where he has relatives.

Wisconsin Death Index

Walter Reber, age 72

death date: 17 Feb 1974

Certificate #003681

Responses

Hello, thank you for putting up these images, I am Walter Reber's great grandaughter...I have heard stories from my Grandma Maragaret (Reber) Lewis about the factory but never saw any pictures of it.