By Holly Drake
Ragersville residents enjoyed the grand opening and dedication of the new Jacob Steiner Cheese House replica on the square during the Ragersville homecoming August 1.
The cheese house commemorates Jacob Steiner, the first cheesemaker to come to the Ragersville valley from Switzerland, in 1833. It houses the original copper cheese kettle Steiner brought with him from Switzerland, as well as a hand hewn 11-foot stone salt brine trough, weighing more than 4,000 pounds, that was original to Steiner Cheese.
The project was started based on the donation of these items and the need for a place to display them. Both pieces are about 175 years old. "That's quite a bit of history," said Ray Hisrich, president of the Ragersville Historical Society.
Though no one really knows what the cheese house originally looked like, the historical society designed a replica as close as they could come. The original Jacob Steiner Cheese House is still standing today, but has been turned into a house, losing most of its original look.
The replica project has been in the works for several years and took a lot of people to accomplish. "The whole community got involved," said Hisrich. Many gave monetary gifts and others donated items of interest.
Besides the kettle and trough, the cheese house is now home to cream separators, a milk tester, an old fashioned mouse trap, and other antique cheese making equipment.
The building is open during special events, Sundays from 1-4 p.m., and by appointment. Hisrich encouraged people to come see what all the historical society in Ragersville has to offer.
"There's a lot of firsts here," he said. The cheese house replica is only one of those. Others include one of the first wine cellars (from 1846) and one of the first schools (from 1830) still on their original foundations. There is a log cabin from 1830 as well. In addition to those buildings, there is a museum and a large genealogy department. "It's just a lot of history," said Hisrich.
The town was settled in the 1820s and plotted in the 1830s. Many settlers were straight from Switzerland and Germany and have since spread all over the United States.
The Jacob Steiner Cheese House was the first of 12 Swiss cheese houses to be built in the Ragersville valley. The area has been making Swiss cheese continuously for 175 years.
To set up an appointment to visit the cheese house replica and other historical buildings, call Ray Hisrich at 330-897-2861.
Don Deetz (project manager), Dave Shutt, Ray Hisrich, Bill Andreas, and Ken Huprich were building committee members.
All website content © Copyright 2007-2010 Graphic Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Michael Mast
Graphic Publications, Inc.
Contact Graphic Publications, Inc.
7368 County Rd. 623, P.O. Box 358, Millersburg, Ohio 44654
United States
Phone (330) 674-2300, Toll Free (888) 674-1010, Fax (330) 674-2361
