Eganville Creamery

The Eganville Creamery first opened its doors about twenty-five years earlier under the leadership of D. G. Kilgour. After passing through the hands of several owners, it was purchased in the fall of 1934 by I. R. Hoffman and Ross McEwen of Cobden, who acquired it from Bimm and Shane.

The new creamery quickly became a symbol of enterprise and ambition. With its size, modern equipment and substantial investment, it stood as proof that Hoffman and McEwen had both the vision and determination to build something lasting. Few creameries in the Ottawa Valley could compare.

The building itself was impressive: a brick veneer, cinder-block-insulated structure finished inside with cream-colored tile. The two-storey facility stretched 59 feet across Bonnechere Street and ran 75 feet deep. The site, once part of the Hotel Eganville property, had been purchased from the late T. A. Sammon. The lower level housed a garage, boiler room, pumps, and refrigeration machinery, with room left for future cold storage. A wing extending 80 by 16 feet contained a welcoming office and, in the basement, a supply storage department.

By the 1940s, growing demand made it clear that an even larger facility was needed. Hoffman and McEwen awarded the contract to M. Sullivan & Sons of Arnprior, and construction began in the fall of 1944. By early spring of 1945, the new creamery was ready for business.

To serve the region, Hoffman and McEwen operated four cream delivery trucks across the district and a milk truck that ran to Killaloe and nearby communities, while also meeting the daily needs of Eganville households.