1902- 1937    Stow  MA.

 Eriksons Dairy was started by Hans Erikson Sr. sometime around the year 1902.  The Eriksen farm known as Hill Side Farm was located on the corner of Hastings Street and White Pond Road in Stow. There were many apple trees along with the usual gardening. Logging  was done in the woods now known as the town woods. Cows and chickens were kept on the farm.  This is were  Hans Eriksen Sr. started the dairy business. Cows often roamed on what is now called Assabet Heights. Assebet St. off of Great Rd. now leads to many homes that have been built there.  Milk was delivered by horse and wagon.  The milk was poured from large cans into customer owned small containers at the doorstep.

 Hans H.A. Erikson, founder of the present  Erikson’s Dairy helped with chores on the farm with his two sisters until entering the army for World War I.  After returning from France, he attended Wentworth Institute in Boston for law and at the same time helped on the farm.

 At sometime between 1918 and 1923, the farm was sold and the Erikson’s moved to a new house  (what is now 11 Great Road., Stow).  The barn at the old farm no longer stands. It was torn down in 2000. The dairy, which looked like six or seven single car garages all put together in a row and connected, was located behind the new house.  It consisted of four stalls for his car and milk trucks. The milk was processed in the middle of the building. There was a pasteurizing vat, milk cooling machine,  a bottling machine and a water tank (for cleaning bottles). The cows had been sold and he started to purchase milk for distribution from other farms in Stow.  The milk was brought into the dairy where it was now pasteurized and bottled before delivery.  Today, the old dairy no longer stands.  The house was gutted by fire in 1984 and refurbished by the Vincent family who now live there.

 In 1923 Hans married Mary Boyd, who had come to Stow from Magnolia to teach at Hale High School where she was assistant principle at the time of the wedding.  The newly married couple settled in one of the homes which used to occupy the area that is now The Stow Town Hall.  In the late 1920’s land was purchased just over the Stow/Maynard line in Maynard for a new home.  Much of the land had been owned by a brewery company.  After their marriage Mary Erikson substituted in the Maynard School System The business grew through the depression years.  Many of the local families were supplied with milk and told to pay for it when they could afford to.