Lost Washington: Thompson’s Dairy
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.