The Umpqua Valley has been making delectable treats since 1931 when the now-largest dairy in southern Oregon, Umpqua Dairy, was founded. Ormond Feldkamp and Herb Sullivan had $500 between them, a 1929 Hudson delivery truck, a little wooden ice house next to the railroad tracks and a hankering for some ice cream. The two men started a business venture by bottling milk, churning butter and making ice cream to sell to railroad passengers as they stopped at the train station in Roseburg.
By the 1940s, Umpqua Dairy opened up a bigger location and became the first dairy in Oregon to put milk in paper quarts, pints and half pints, as well as the first dairy in the Northwest to introduce the half-gallon round ice cream container – commonly referred to as the company’s “red round.” The red round is still used today with the company’s original Native American Indian head logo which pays homage to the Native American culture in Roseburg.
Fast forward to 2022 and Umpqua Dairy has only gotten sweeter. The dairy is a well-known name around the state, nation and even the world. The Roseburg-based dairy has won several “best” and first place awards throughout the globe for several of their products. It’s also the creator and supplier for soft-serve at Dairy Queen across Oregon, and can be found in stores all throughout the western states.
Feldkamp, who became sole-owner in the 1950s, remained the family name of the company for a remarkable 90 years, being passed down through three generations. In 2020, Umpqua Dairy handed the reins to another third-generation, family-owned dairy based in Fresno, California – Producers Dairy.
Find a Scoop Near You
For locations and products, visit umpquadairy.com. If you’re in the mood for a scoop, visit Sherm’s Thunderbird Market at 2553 NW Stewart Parkway in Roseburg, Umpqua Sweets and Treats at 1016 SE Oak Avenue in downtown Roseburg, and Farmhouse Decor and The Downtown General Store at 507 SE Jackson Street in downtown Roseburg.
On October 3, 1872, Roseburg became officially incorporated by the state of Oregon. That makes this coming fall Roseburg’s 150th birthday. We’re celebrating with a series of articles on Roseburg’s rich past and blossoming future. For more information, visit the Roseburg 150 page.
