Tillamook

Tillamook cheese factory
(photo by K. Urner, Olympus Stylus 500)

Pioneers from the east discovered their cows really grooved on the grasses here, and soon they were drowning in dairy. Given difficult topography, the smart folk of Tillamook built a boat, the Morning Star, and sailed it to Portland to trade butter for other necessities.

As in Switzerland, local farmers realized how their way of life might be sustained by minting a cheese of dependable quality. They organized accordingly, by hiring some of the best in the business, and the Tillamook County Creamery Association was formed.

The result: the factory is a tourist destination and the Tillamook brand is recognized around the world for excellence (the ice cream is good too).