Although there had been dairy cows in some capacity since 1847 (allegedly), the era of the dairy farm that would define Marathon County’s agriculture began in part thanks to the efforts of Fred Reickbrock and the Gurensey cattle he brought to his Helendale Farms.
a brochure for a dairy farm, 1911The Beginning
Frederick Rietbrock (1839-1906) was born in New Munster, Wisconsin, the son of immigrants from Germany. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1865 and became involved in Milwaukee County law and politics, forming a legal partnership with Daniel Johnson and Lawrence W. Halsey called Johnson, Rietbrock & Halsey. The law firm purchased acreage in Marathon County, and Rietbrock went on to found a village called Black Creek Falls (later known as Athens) in 1879.
In 1883, Reitbrock created a center of guernsey cattle in this location called Helendale Farms. It was reportedly named after Helen Margaretha Peters, whom Rietbrock was married to. Helendale Farms became well-known for their guernsey cattle, which produced milk with a high butterfat content.
Recording Butterfat Content
The pamphlet, titled “The Guernseys at Helendale Farms, 1911” is a promotional item that showcases the guernsey cattle of Helendale Farms. These pamphlets were used to advertise to and educate consumers, and testing results for butter and milk fat content were included.