The Gail Borden Public Library has received a state grant to digitize documents such as The Elgin Dairy Report. In the late 19th century, the publication provided crucial information on prices for butter, cheese and eggs.
Gail Borden Public Library
Prices listed in The Elgin Dairy Report
Angel Flores is the library’s Director of Information and Digital Services.
“There is great value in preserving information and historical documents," Flores said. "Sometimes, looking back at the past can give us guidance to what decisions to make in the future.”
Flores says the process of digitizing the library’s dairy documents could take six months to a year. After that, they’ll be available online free of charge.
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The "Butter Room" display at the Elgin History Museum of a hand crank butter churn which would have been used to make small batches of butter at home, a comparison of the two types of butter sticks known as the "Elgin" and the "Stubby" and a recipe card using Borden's Eagle brand condensed milk and featuring the "Elsie the Cow" mascot
photos provided.
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The "Butter Room" display at the Elgin History Museum of a hand crank butter churn which would have been used to make small batches of butter at home, a comparison of the two types of butter sticks known as the "Elgin" and the "Stubby" and a recipe card using Borden's Eagle brand condensed milk and featuring the "Elsie the Cow" mascot
photos provided.
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The "Butter Room" display at the Elgin History Museum of a hand crank butter churn which would have been used to make small batches of butter at home, a comparison of the two types of butter sticks known as the "Elgin" and the "Stubby" and a recipe card using Borden's Eagle brand condensed milk and featuring the "Elsie the Cow" mascot
photos provided.
At one point, there were more than two hundred cheese and butter factories within 60 miles of the city.
George H. McCaskey is a member of WNIJ's Community Correspondent Corps. He has a degree in Broadcasting from Arizona State University and lives in northern Illinois.
