HANOVER DAIRYMEN AND THEIR MILK BOTTLES

John R. McGrew and Wendy Bish-McGrew (1997)

So, a good friend of mine once announced to a gathering of pastors and their spouses that he collected milk bottles.

“Milk bottles?” I asked to myself. I tried not to laugh out loud. I did snicker inwardly, I must admit. Of all the things to collect, stamps I kinda get that! Baseball cards? I definitely get that! But milk bottles? I didn’t get it.

Until now. Books do that to you, you know. I found this book . . . well, you can guess, at the York Emporium, York, Pennsylvania.

Honestly my plan was to simply mail it to my friend as a gift. But I found myself reading “Hanover Dairymen and Their Milk Bottles.” I must admit, it’s the first book I’ve ever read about Hanover Dairymen or Their Milk Bottles. But when I was done, I had a better understanding why Bob . . . my friend . . . collects milk bottles.

1. It’s fun. Fun to explore antique shops and find bottles . . . and once found to study their history and determine their worth. Because, believe me, among one’s fellow collectors, bottles can be rather valuable.

2. Behind every bottle is a story. A story of a farmer . . . a farm . . . a family.... a community . . . a time gone by. Every bottle has a history. One can learn a lot from a milk bottle.

3. There are all sorts of memorabilia associated with local diaries. Besides the bottles themselves, including: bottle caps, promotional thermometer (there was one in my grandfather’s country store . . . I wish I had it now!) baby bottles, flyswatters and, of course, the ever popular calendars! In fact this book is part history part catalogue! The more I read, the more I understand how my friend had become downright enthusiastic about collecting milk bottles . . . I’m serious!

Okay . . . . my favorites? Here’s one!

Conewago Dairy, owned by Ira Edward Fuhrman. Born: 1905. At 20 he was living with his parents at 321 Spring Avenue. By 1931 he had become a dairyman. He purchased the Conewago Dairy in 1932. He sold 144 quarts in his first week of ownership and made a net profit of 94%. His milk was 8 cents per quart retail. He delivered his milk by horse-drawn wagon and by foot . . . himself. He cooled it with spring water. He eventually made and sold ice cream too. See what I mean. Every bottle has a history and tells a story about real people who placed their hopes and dreams in a bottle and hoped someone would buy it.

4. Oh yes, one more thing. Every bottle is different. Like a snowflake really. There is something unique about every bottle. They may look the same to you and me, but the discerning eye can see that there is no other bottle like this in the whole world. Not really.

I like that. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars. (I’m not a bottle collector, if I were, I’d give it a 4.5).