Wilcox Ice Cream | Vermont's Original Ice Cream

1892

Wilcox Ice Cream — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 17:14:30 +0000

E.A. Wilcox moved his family from Sandgate, VT to Manchester, VT to a farm on River Road. In those days, Southern VT was a patchwork of dairy farms. School children would distribute products from the farms to stores and neighbors as they made their way to school by foot or on horseback. The picture is a letter to E.A. from the Equinox Hotel in Manchester, VT in 1889 as follows:

Dear Sir,

Bring 3 lambs Wednesday if you get this in time. Or Thursday will do. If you have any small broilers about 1 1/2 lbs or less bring them at 25c per lb. Eggs ow at 16c per dozen have been paying 18c but have a big stock on hand and they are coming in quite plenty at present at 16c. Bring a long wool pelt for R (busboy) and charge what is right for it.

Yours truly, E.C. Perkins

1902

Wilcox Ice Cream — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 17:12:52 +0000

E.E. Wilcox took over the milk business as he moved the farm to its present location south of Manchester, VT to Silver Spring Lane where the farm is still operated today. E.E. Wilcox had two sons who were soon to be out of school in the late 1920’s. At this time, the family decided to […]

1928

Wilcox Ice Cream — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 17:11:41 +0000

Howard E “Dutch” and Roger, sons of E.E., started making Wilcox Ice Cream in Manchester Village, VT. The ice cream was made with ice, salt, and a handheld motor with the ice being cultivated from the Equinox Pond each winter and stored thru summer. Ice cream was made just in time for a hostess to serve.

The Wilcox Family circa 1928

1955

Wilcox Ice Cream — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 17:05:51 +0000

E.E. died and his sons, Roger and Dutch, took over both businesses and incorporated to become Wilcox Brothers Inc. and delivered milk and ice cream. Ice cream machines made advancements from small batch freezers to continuous freezers. The Wilcox Brothers needed to convince consumers that the new smooth ice cream made by continuous freezers was a superior product to what batch freezers could produce.

Dutch Making Ice Cream

1965

Wilcox Ice Cream — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 17:01:05 +0000

(From left to right – Gerald Wilcox, Dutch Wilcox, Howard Wilcox)

Howard A. Wilcox, Dutch’s son, returned from college to run the ice cream and milk delivery business while Dutch’s youngest, Gerald, returned in 1967 to run the dairy farm. From 1965 to 1999 Howard Wilcox grew the distribution business from 5 routes and 7 employees, to 14 routes and 30 employees. Their distribution area covered VT, south to Pittsfield, MA, east to Keene, NH, as well as over the border in NY.

The Wilcox Family (Dutch, Gerald, Craig, Howard — back row; Christina — 2nd row, far right)

1999

Wilcox Ice Cream — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:28:22 +0000

The family sold the private label of Wilcox milk products to Crowley Foods and decided to focus on the manufacturing of Wilcox Ice Cream. At this time, two of Howard’s children, Craig and Christina, were involved in the Ice Cream and distribution business. Two of Gerald’s sons, Adam and Michael, were involved in the dairy […]

2001 – May 1

Wilcox Ice Cream — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:25:41 +0000

Craig and Christina formed a new corporation called Vermont’s Original Ice Cream Inc. DBA Wilcox Ice Cream. The focus was on ice cream production and the distribution of other specialty foods.

2001 – May 7

Wilcox Ice Cream — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:20:35 +0000

Seven days into operation under their new name, a terrible fire destroyed the milking barn, ice cream manufacturing plant and various out buildings. While fire fighters battled the fire, Craig and Christina vowed to find a way to continue. Between 2001 and 2015, Howard and Christina traveled to other production facilities to continue to manufacture Wilcox Ice Cream. The ice cream mix is made from Vermont milk specified to the Wilcox family recipe by St. Albans Creamery.

2012

Wilcox Ice Cream — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:15:45 +0000

Wilcox Ice Cream bought a Baked Goods business and started distributing breakfast pastries, cookies and desserts, along with an expanded line of specialty foods which includes many Vermont products.

2015

Wilcox Ice Cream — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 19:10:26 +0000

Wilcox Ice Cream and Specialty Foods finds a new home. Howard, Christina, and Craig now make ice cream in their own plant. Distribution of the many products sold is also done out of the same building. A visitor center will be constructed to allow visitors to see the exciting process of ice cream production.