The Story Behind The Name

Charles Wright traveled by covered wagon from Kansas to Illinois just before the turn of the 19th century. In 1905, a partnership was formed between Wright and butter-maker Orville Sturtevant. Together they started a creamery in Durand, Illinois. They sold the creamery and moved to Beloit with the purpose of developing a milk business. 

The first plant, started in 1906,

was small and located on Mill Street. Sturtevant & Wright Creamery became the city’s first bottled milk plant in 1907. The two men started with one wagon and delivered the fresh milk in sealed containers to the front porches of city residents. In their first day of business, the creamery sold 12 quarts of milk. Through good service and a quality product, they grew steadily. In two years, the business had expanded to 1,700 customers. 

Ira Wagner entered the firm in 1909 and continued until his retirement in 1935. 

The dairy was also the first to pasteurize milk in the bottle with a machine using new technology. The VILTER MFG. COMPANY,  that made the pasteurizer, advertised in the 1914 issue of Milk Plant  Monthly, that potential customers could see this new technology  in use at the Sturtevant, Wright & Wagner Dairy. 

Because of ill health, Sturtevant resigned from the presidency in October of 1921. Wright became president and Wagner became secretary/treasurer. 

 The firm was incorporated under the name Wright & Wagner Dairy Company which continued until 1930.

They merged with Beatrice Foods (Beatreme) in 1930, and eventually became one of the leading food companies in the United States. They added the manufacture of evaporated milk, powdered milk, ice cream, cottage cheese, butter and caramel candy base. They also supplied Chicago, shipped products overseas and maintained home-delivery routes here in town. 

Charles Wright became manager and continued in that capacity until his retirement in 1946 at the age of 70. He passed away at the age of 96. In addition to his personal civic contributions, during WWI the company canned evaporated milk for the armed forces and during WWII provided large amounts of powdered milk for the forces. Although milk bottling and ice cream production were halted in 1976, the company still purchased milk from 140 Rock County area farmers. The milk was used to make high-fat powdered shortening for the baking industry and for other dehydrated ingredients such as cheese and sour cream. 

In 1988, Kerry Ingredients acquired the innovative company and used the dairy as their Beloit headquarters. 

Today, the site has been re-imagined to provide downtown’s  most dynamic residential offering – Wright & Wagner Lofts.