Historic Context on Fauquier County's Dairy Farms
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HISTORIC CONTEXT ON FAUQUIER COUNTY'S DAIRY FARMS Final January 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................... ii Project Introduction and Objective ................................................................................................... 1 Background Research and Methodology........................................................................................... 1 Part I: History ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction to Fauquier County ....................................................................................................... 2 Location and Physical Description ........................................................................................ 2 Brief History of Fauquier County .......................................................................................... 4 The Dairying Industry in Fauquier County ......................................................................................... 5 Nineteenth Century ........................................................................................................................... 7 Role of the Railroad .............................................................................................................. 8 The Babcock Test .................................................................................................................. 9 Regulation............................................................................................................................. 9 Twentieth Century ............................................................................................................................. 9 Milking Machines.................................................................................................................. 9 Establishment of the Virginia State Dairymen’s Association and the Promotion of Dairy... 10 Dairy Production ................................................................................................................... 12 Role of Creameries/Formation of a Regional Milk Cooperative........................................... 13 Cow Testing........................................................................................................................... 13 Inspections and Sanitary Barns............................................................................................. 14 The Great Depression ........................................................................................................... 16 Virginia’s Milk and Cream Act and the State Milk Commission............................................ 17 Changes in Transportation and Processing........................................................................... 17 Late Twentieth Century ..................................................................................................................... 18 Livestock............................................................................................................................................. 21 Dairy Cow Breeds............................................................................................................................... 22 Part II: The Farm Buildings ................................................................................................................ 24 Planning and Layout of Fauquier County Dairy Farms....................................................................... 25 Designers and Buildings ..................................................................................................................... 25 Building Materials ................................................................................................................. 28 Aluminum.................................................................................................................... 28 Asbestos‐Cement Board.............................................................................................. 28 Asphalt Composition Siding ........................................................................................ 28 Brick............................................................................................................................. 28 Concrete...................................................................................................................... 28 Fiber Products ............................................................................................................. 28 Metal Sheets ............................................................................................................... 29 Plywood....................................................................................................................... 29 Structural Clay Tile ...................................................................................................... 29 Wood........................................................................................................................... 29 i TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page Individual Buildings and Structures Associated with a Dairy Farm.................................................... 30 Dairy Barns............................................................................................................................ 30 Ancillary Dairy Buildings........................................................................................................ 34 Creameries............................................................................................................................ 34 Milk Houses........................................................................................................................... 34 Milking Parlors ...................................................................................................................... 36 Silos ....................................................................................................................................... 36 Bull Barns .............................................................................................................................. 38 Calf Shelters .......................................................................................................................... 38 Manure Handling .................................................................................................................. 38 Offices ................................................................................................................................... 38 Landscape Features .............................................................................................................. 38 Ancillary Buildings................................................................................................................. 39 National Register Evaluation of Dairy Farms ..................................................................................... 41 National Register Criteria...................................................................................................... 41 Period of Significance............................................................................................................ 42 Contributing and Noncontributing Elements........................................................................ 42 Integrity................................................................................................................................. 42 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 44 Preparers............................................................................................................................................ 45 Sources of Additional Information..................................................................................................... 45 References Cited ................................................................................................................................ 46 List of Figures 1 Location of Fauquier County in Virginia................................................................................ 3 2 Detail of Stonework on a Fauquier County Building............................................................. 4 3 General View of Fauquier Farmland ..................................................................................... 4 4 Map of Fauquier County 1914 .............................................................................................. 6 5 Detail of the Southern Railway Route Through Virginia....................................................... 8 6 Fauquier County 4‐H Club Delegation at Annual Convention in Blacksburg, 1951 .............. 11 7 Map Indicating the Number of Dairy Cows on Farm Selling Milk, Cream, or Butter............ 12 8 District of Columbia Scorecard for Dairy Farm Inspections.................................................. 15 9 Recommended Dairy Barn Ventilation System..................................................................... 15 10 Sign at Al‐Mara Farm, Midland ............................................................................................. 18 11 Sign at Cool Lawn Farms, Remington.................................................................................... 19