As you drive along state highway 14 going through the small community of Lake Benton, Minnesota, you will see an old brick building (shown in the photo below) along the southwest shore of Lake Benton. This building is located near a public access point to the lake, so there is good access to the site. Several fishing docks give the typical Minnesota lakes appearance, which is really beautiful.
Lake Benton Creamery (click to enlarge)
Lake Benton itself is on the edge of the Buffalo Ridge wind tower farm, which covers an extensive area in southwest Minnesota. If you come from the west, you will drive down the steep ridge with large wind towers all around. Lake Benton sits just to the east of this ridge, in a scenic spot next to the large lake.The Lake Benton Creamery building is not used anymore as a creamery or for any other commercial or residential use. However, it is a beautiful old brick building and gives some indications of how Minnesota bricks and blocks were used in constructing buildings of the past. The photo below shows one of the outside brick walls, where clay block was used in the center and was surrounded on both sides with regular brick.
Brick Doorway (click to enlarge) As you approach the old building, there is a sign (shown in picture below) on the front which says “1897 FARMERS CO-OP CRY ASSN 1915.” This sign was formed in concrete and sits above the front side of the building.
Concrete Sign (click to enlarge) Another sad feature is that the building is in a poor state of affairs. The photographs above and below also shows some weeds growing in the gutters along the edge of the roof. The doors are long absent or broken, so there is nothing keeping out the weather or anyone coming by. Despite years of neglect it is still a remarkable structure.
- Weeds (click to enlarge)
In walking around the outside the building, I was able to determine who supplied the clay block and brick. Some of the bricks say “ACO Springfield” on them. The building color is also the orange-red color typical of bricks and block made at the Ochs Brickyard in Springfield, Minnesota.I did a little internet searching on the creamery building, and learned that someone tried to get a tax break to locate a business there. There are also some private possessions inside the building, so it is still being used to some degree. It would sure be nice if it could be restored in some way. Creamery buildings are a big part of history of Minnesota and there are not very many left. If you get a chance, visit the Lake Benton area and see this gem of western Minnesota!
