Lost Washington: Thompson's Dairy

History

Lost Washington: Thompson's Dairy

by Kent Boese • September 7, 2010 3:54 pm

Though one wouldn't know it by looking at Washington today, industry was once an integral part of the city's economy. The Thompson Dairy is one example of Washington's industrial past.

Thompson's Dairy ca. 1930. From "Book of Washington," 1930.

The dairy was founded in 1881 by John Thompson who had a dairy farm near Washington. Prior to 1881, Thompson would bring his milk to the city each day and find a distributor. When distributors were hard to find in 1881, he decided to become his own distributor and opened a business at Seventh and L Streets, NW.

Upon his death, his three sister's took over operation of the business which continued to grow and expand. By 1927, a new plant had been built taking up nearly the entire block bounded by 11th, 12th, U and V Streets, NW. At the time of its opening on November 7th, the plant handled 5,000 gallons of milk a day.

From Library of Congress collection.

The modern plant at 2012 11th Street, NW, consistently received numerous awards from the Health Department for the quality of their milk. To encourage the highest standards of milk production, the dairy offered incentives to dairy farmers to produce richer and cleaner milk. The dairy was described in 1930 as supporting a large fleet of motor trucks and horse-drawn delivery wagons to serve all sections of Washington and adjacent territories.

Over the years, the firm grew and expanded from 41 employees to 580 workers in 1965, making it one of the largest private firms in the Washington area. Dairy routes had also grown by 1965 to include 535 routes using a fleet of refrigerated trucks.

The Dairy closed in 1971 and the property was ultimately redeveloped.

Interior of Thompson's Dairy. Undated photo from Library of Congress.

33 comments

Tags: DC, history, Shaw, U Street

Then and Now: Woodward & Lothrop building (Jun 9, 2010)
Lost Washington: Washington Airport (Feb 25, 2010)
Lost Washington: the Lafayette Hotel (Mar 24, 2010)
Then and Now: W.B. Moses & Sons (Apr 29, 2009)
Lost Washington: Benning Race Track (Jan 25, 2010)

Kent Boese posts items of historic interest primarily within the District. He's worked in libraries since 1994, both federal and law, and currently works on K Street. He lives in the Park View neighborhood, and is the force behind the blog Washington Kaleidoscope.

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Interesting article. Any idea what it was redeveloped into?

by Paul C on Sep 7, 2010 5:39 pm • link • report

This is amazing-at almost the same time that this article was posted, I was visiting my 91 yo grandfather who is in Reston hospital after suffering a stroke. We were joking that he had been up since early in the morning and hadn't taken a nap when he reminded us and his nurse that he was a former milkman for Thompson's Dairy! He would get up at 4am, get to the dairy and make his rounds starting at 7am. I asked him where was the dairy and he said, 11th and M NW, quick as anything! So strange that this shows up on GGW, today of all days!

by gina a on Sep 7, 2010 7:57 pm • link • report

I guess they'll never know if they spill any milk, given that Thompson seems to have painted every surface imaginable in the factory white.

by andrew on Sep 7, 2010 11:11 pm • link • report

Would that be who the old downtown elementary school "Strong John Thompson" was named for?

by pf on Sep 8, 2010 3:00 pm • link • report

Found a milk bottle under my porch with the name Thompson's on it.

by c.s.d. on Dec 10, 2010 6:44 pm • link • report

Children's Hospital (which at the time was across the street) used some of the dairy for the Psychiatry Dept in the early 1970's--they had sold the Hillcrest Building at 1325 W St to the YMCA.

by jlo on May 30, 2011 2:23 pm • link • report

They didn't say why the plant closed which was the most interesting part.
The 500+ employees went to Unionize the shop, they were warned not to as the Thompsons took very good care of everybody, they proceeded and the Thompsons shut the dairy down and fired everyone.
I still have the metal Thompson's box that the milk man would put the glass bottles of milk in when I was a kid.

by John Trottman on Aug 22, 2011 7:05 am • link • report

I was a employee at Thompson dairy from 63 to 69. I have been trying to find an old mike bottle if anyone still has one. I meet my wife who worked in the office. We both have many fond memories of working with the Thompson family

by Dale mort on Aug 26, 2011 10:57 pm • link • report

Hey Dale,

Recently my dad and I were running a wire through our crawl space so we are able to install a tv in the living room. As we were in there we found an old Thompson's milk bottle complete with hand grip. My dad thinks it was left from the original construction of the house, but if you are interested in the bottle please respond and we can figure out contact info.

by Ian M on Sep 5, 2011 10:08 am • link • report

Yes Ian we would love to get your bottle if you could let us know how much you want for it.

by Dale on Sep 6, 2011 11:51 am • link • report

I grew up in the Rose Hill subdivision, Faifax County. We had Thompson"s dairy deliveries; the day Alan Shepherd made his suborbital flight into space, our Thompson's milkman pulled into the driveway, my mother announcwed "They're shooting him off" from the back stoop, and the Thompson's milkman sat on our couch and watched the whole seventeen minutes.

by leo Arico on Dec 2, 2011 7:11 pm • link • report

the New Embessy milk company bought out most of the local farmers closed them up and Ms,Thompson sold they still have a farm in La Platta Md. i think .

by calton blanchard on Dec 13, 2011 12:39 pm • link • report

John Trottman , they got bought out by Embessy milk !

by calton blanchard on Dec 13, 2011 12:55 pm • link • report

I worked at Thompsons also from Feb, 1968 to 1971. I ran the IBM 1440 computer system. I worked with one of the grandson's, Lee Thompson.

by Frank Lazo on Dec 31, 2011 8:31 pm • link • report

I have an orginal metal box and 6 glass bottles if anyone is interested in buying it.

by Mary Ann on Jan 15, 2012 10:19 am • link • report

I have a Thompsons Dairy pint glass bottle with raised script looking to sell

by Mrs c on Jan 31, 2012 3:16 pm • link • report

Many years ago a friend of mine had an old farm out near Manassas, I found an pile of half pint Thompson "TD" Dairy bottles along with old coiled barb wire that I think may have been left from when the Army did maneuvers there around 1913. I kept a few of the nicer ones, but always wondered about the history of the Thompson Dairy. Great website, Thanks!

Mike arclight88@hotmail.com

by Mike on Feb 12, 2012 12:21 pm • link • report

My father, Wiley Garman, worked for Thompson's Dairy in the late 30's.

by Rachael Spinks on Feb 27, 2012 2:41 pm • link • report

My father worked for Thompson's in the early 50's.
I was born I the children's hospital.

by James Hurst on Feb 27, 2012 5:10 pm • link • report

Actually, there were never any births at Children's Hospital, but if you were ill you might have been transferred there. THE place to be born in the '50s was Columbia Hosp for Women-it marked you as a true Washingtonian. The hospital is now condos--24th and L, NW.

by jlo on Feb 27, 2012 5:16 pm • link • report

I worked there 65 to 69 and I was born at Garfield Hospital I met and married my husband Dale while working there.
He was a helper and delivered milk to the White House and later got his own route in Virginia

by Carole mort on Feb 27, 2012 6:25 pm • link • report

I have an old Thompson's dairy clock. Says quality checked dairy products. Was wondering if anyone knew anything about it? ( ricodot55@Gmail.com

by steve on Mar 14, 2012 8:01 pm • link • report

This message is for James Hurst. My father also worked at Thompson's Dairy in the 50's. On my birth certificate is occupation - bottle washer Thompson Diary. I grew up in DC. His name was Charles Norris Lowe.

by Helen Davis on May 25, 2012 11:35 am • link • report

Ah yes, I too remember the metal box that we kept on our front porch for the Thompson Milk delivery. The good ole days. I work transfer archival films and just saw a movie about Washington DC in the early 1900s. And sure enough there is a horse drawn Thompson Dairy wagon.

by Jim T on Jun 15, 2012 1:05 am • link • report

I have a old bottel that reads 324 b st. but all the streets that are mentiond are south?

by Tom L on Jul 15, 2012 10:51 pm • link • report

ISTR reading that the original Thompson dairy farm was in Alexandria, south of Old Town, in the area near where Hollin Hall shopping center is now. I know a lot of Quaker farmers came to the NOVa area in the late 19th century and I think the original Mr. Thompson may have been one of them.

by SMcK on Aug 3, 2012 7:57 am • link • report

Carlton Blanchard, What John Trottman described is exactly the way I remember it happening. Embassy may have bought up a lot of assets, but I believe that Thompson's closed down in order to avoid (what they considered to be) outrageous Union demands.

by Don A on Aug 27, 2012 2:15 pm • link • report

I have an old thompsons milk bottle passed on from my great grandmother if any is interested in buying it. Just send me an email. Thanks!

by ashley on Aug 31, 2012 2:35 pm • link • report

My email is ashleybgee@aol.com! Sorry didnt include that in my last
Post!

by ashley on Aug 31, 2012 2:38 pm • link • report

We recently cleaned out my father in law's out buildings and found and old dairy can. I believe it was used to transport the milk in long ago. The name on the top of the can is C.F. Dairy, Washington D.C. Does anyone have any information on this dairy?

by Angela on Nov 7, 2012 6:32 pm • link • report

I grew up in HampshireKnolls, east of TakomaPark, 1961-1982. We got milked delivered but then my mom would send me to the grocer(Co-op)to buy milk. I remember news of a stike just prior to Thompson's closing. Was that a factor?

by Danny on Nov 21, 2012 3:14 pm • link • report

Angela, I believe the C.F. initials on the milk can stand for Chestnut Farms. My grandfather worked for them in the 30's or 40's.

by Patsy on Feb 2, 2013 7:41 pm • link • report

was working at the American.U. doing some deep diges,found a one pint bottelsharon dairy,c.thompson 1 pint324 b st.s.w. could not find any inpho on the adress,it looks like the bottom was handblown.do you have any thing on the address?

by tom lee on Apr 5, 2013 12:02 pm • link • report