Finding Minnesota: How did a dairy museum end up in a bank basement in Vergas?
VERGAS, Minn. — A collection that began over 60 years ago now has more than 600 dairy items.
Just east of Fargo, North Dakota, is the town of Vergas.
"None of the roads are straight up here because they are always winding around the lakes," said resident Lee Dahlgren.
You'll know you're there when you see the giant loon. In fact, the town celebration is called "Loony Days."
Julie Bruhn is the mayor and she'll tell you that what happens in Vergas stays in Vergas. That includes a museum stuffed full of dairy artifacts.
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"We probably don't even know what's all in here," said Bruhn. "It just kept expanding and expanding."
Bruhn's dad, Gordon Dahlgren, started this collection in the 1950s. He was president of the Vergas State Bank back then, but had grown up on a farm and missed the cows. So, he started collecting oddities that reminded him of his childhood.
It began with butter churns, then cream separators, and then butter boxes that represent Minnesota creameries of the past. When Dahlgren ran out of room at home, he moved his collection to the bank basement.
"Anything DeLaval. He loved DeLaval," said Bruhn.
He also loved oddities and the collection has churned out some doozies, including a seated milker that's well over a century old, which probably made for a good cardio workout back in the day.
"Just through the years just started collecting a few things here and a few things there," said Lee.
Lee is Bruhn's brother, and he remembers going with his dad to auctions to pick up butter and milk memorabilia. Sometimes they would take road trips cross-country and treasure hunt along the way.
"We would ride with him and you'd never took the interstate to Arizona there and back. It was through small towns, finding antique shops," said Lee.
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Just before Dahlgren passed away in 2007, he made a cow to be used in Vergas' parades, and it's still used to this day. It's a sense of pride for his family and they're happy to spread the word about a time that was.
"People come in here and (say), 'Oh I remember that when I was on the farm,'" said Lee. "You get the younger generations that are like, 'Really? Did that do that back in the day?' It's fun and we get visitors from all over the country."
Bruhn said the one thing her dad never found while collecting was a #10 Daisy butter churner.
Gordon's Butter and Dairy Museum is free and open to the public. It's located in the basement of the Vergas State Bank.
