Saturday, September 6, 2008

Cow Heads

Not sure if these boards are searchable so I will just ask if anyone has or knows of any pictures of the cow heads at Elmhurst Dairy?. Anything that shows them in place from any year would be very much appreciated.
 
Thanks,
 
Ken McLaughlin

12 comments:

les__f MSN said...

Hi Ken, we've been trying for years to find a photo with those two cow heads,sort of a 3d sign, So far noone has been able to come up with any,The company that works out of there now took them down years ago,claiming that they were going to refurbish them,but to this day they are mysteriously MIA,............................I thought that there must be a photo around some where,but we've had no luck,& several of us have tried emailing different people we thought would know & again met with no success. Maybe you are enterprising enough to checkout some archives around Montreal & find them ,if you do that would solve our longtime mystery,.....  GoodLuck I also agree ,it would be nice to be able to do a search of our old threads here,but anytime I've done I had to do it the old fashion way & scroll through every topic..........not the most efficient use of time .                                                                                                      hf&rv

les__f MSN said...

Ken ,I just came across this post from another website for Chess players? and it's a definite lead to the wherabouts of the old sign, This guy apparently knows exactly where it is, so i would think a Photo would be easily had,if even only from it's palce on a pallot in the yards at the old Dairy, the date of this post is only this past July,.so if I can locate this guy he might be able to help us. Trouble is I can't see a way of getting his email information (short of joining the site,*& asking)....... Re: I used to work at a dairy Posted by Neil Sullivan on July 30, 2008, 8:32:17, in reply to "Re: I used to work at a dairy" I think it was two cows Howard - or at least two cow heads.

The sign was refurbished in the early 90's but then had to come down when the building they were attached to, the ice cream hardening room, was torn down. It was replaced with a hardening tunnel in a different spot and the cow sign ended up on a pallet in the packaging stockroom.

Once, during a physical count, I saw it was getting dinged by passing lift trucks. I had it stored in a secluded corner and I bet it is still there. I don't think it will ever go back up in its place of honor.

To add a little chess content, we used to play during our breaks of 10 minutes per hour from working in the ice cream freezer. I once had a coworker bet me there was no way I could beat him 10 times in a row.

If I lost, I owed him week's worth of coffee. if he lost, he had to kiss one of the cows on the sign. I might still have the picture of him standing on the ladder. ............the guys name as you can see is Neil Sullivan, so he might be able to be found & he might even get us a copy of the old sign,.seems he has one...                                                                                                          hf&rv

guy5479 MSN said...

Another old landmakk wich was more important to Verdunites was the Sherwin Williams sign on Atwater street mext to their factory between Centre and St Patrick, you know the one with a can of paint pouring over the globe.  Sure yould like to see a photo as I used to travel under it every day going to work, we coud'nt miss waiting for the boats to pass the Atwater bridge. Guy   

les__f MSN said...

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kencm3 MSN said...

Thanks for helping out, folks!  An urban explorer discovered the cow heads in a nearby building (from the old dairy) and a few people have been desperately trying to get the cows a fair day in "heritage" court. There was concern that vandals might come across them. But it is a public story now and maybe the cow heads will survive in some way.   Gazette story below. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=f6243c40-90b5-49cb-a6db-7b487cfab89b   I wanted  photos in case I would have had to blog about them - something I will do anyway, but in a different context now. It is interesting how intensely people remember the cow heads yet there is barely any photographic evidence of them, at least not readily available on the net.   Thanks again,   Ken McLaughlin  

les__f MSN said...

Good Work Ken,. I didn't read the Gazette yesterday & would have missed this article,thanks for posting the link,.It's funny how many people do remember the old sign & the ice-cream at that store,..  Maybe it was because it was purpose related trip,to actually get in the oldmans car & have to drive up to get an ice cream,then seeing the sign & knowing you've arrived.......hahahaha   I Remember it more from the side angle,which in my mind ,really showed the 3d effect of  those cows heads...... So you've answered one of our mystery questions over the years....where's the beef...........hahahahahaha       Hard to tell that they actually stick out of the sign ,but neat to see old        " Elsie & Elmer"...........................Thanks Ken                    hf&rv

guy5479 MSN said...

It would be interesting to have a picture of the sign in its present state in the building where it is stored. Any volunteers ? Guy

les__f MSN said...

I would think another photo will surface soon,... I also emailed a person re: a photo that they mentioned they had,from the spot where it's beinge stored,I have yet to hear back,but he claims he worked in the dairy itself & actually had the sign moved to a safer spot,because fork-lifts were hitting it occasionally & he wanted to stop it from being damaged any further,so hopefully he responds to my email & sends us a copy of the photo Thos Urban Explorer  people are really good at exploring old buildings & properties,that have been either abandonded or just have poor security,si I would imagine they will have some photos too..... ..............................................................................................................hf&rv

the lad MSN said...

Les   Great to see pics of Dairy...the ice cream was excellent..Remember the Coke plant across the street just down from the Dairy? Its gone but not far away is the printing plant for the Gazette..Not on the same site but almost next door..I think..   Hey did we ever see a picture of Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle here...I think we did but not sure..another landmark.   Lad

mattmullaly MSN said...

In the interests of accuracy, Elmer, the one on the right, is actually a bull. That probably explains the look of contentment on Elsies's face.

les__f MSN said...

Yup lad: we've had that up here too. Sites embl챕matiques menac챕s - 2005 La pinte de lait Guaranteed Pure Milk
1025, rue Lucien L’Allier La valeur architecturale Remarquable bâtiment Art Déco et témoin de la présence de l’industrie laitière au coeur de Montréal, la laiterie Guaranteed Pure Milk a été construite en 1930. Elle est surmontée d’un réservoir d’eau en forme de pinte de lait géante en acier riveté, haut de près de dix mètres, construit par la Dominion Bridge de Lachine. La pinte de lait est un emblème presque poétique du centre-ville, un élément d’architecture naïve qui contraste avec les éléments plus monumentaux du quartier. La valeur historique La laiterie Guaranteed Pure Milk et sa pinte de lait t챕moignent de la pr챕sence pass챕e des industries agro-alimentaires au coeur de la m챕tropole et du mode traditionnel de livraison du lait. La menace Fermé dans les années 1990 et devenu un lieu de tournage de séries télé, le bâtiment a un avenir incertain avec l’arrivée de la Cité du commerce électronique. Les promoteurs envisagent de ne conserver que la façade. Quant à sa pinte de lait, où ira-t-elle? D’autant plus qu’elle souffre d’un manque d’entretien; le métal rouille et l’apparence de la bouteille en est affectée. Les actions de H챕ritage Montr챕al Héritage Montréal est intervenu au sein d’une coalition pour assurer que le projet de Cité du commerce électronique soit plus sensible à son environnement urbain et moins dévastateur pour le patrimoine. L’intégration des enjeux liés au patrimoine industriel continue d’alimenter les représentations de l’organisme, qui souhaite mener une action spécifique de sauvegarde pour la pinte de lait.   I wonder if Heritage Montreal would be interested in the saving of the old Cows? ( Is this what you meant Ken,when you mentioned having it's day in Heritage Court??? )                                                                                                 hf&rv

les__f MSN said...

Somemore useless info,.but here it is anyway........hahahaha City of Montreal, Quebec Guarantee Milk Bottle
Built By: Dominion Bridge of Canada When Built: 1930
Erected on the Guaranteed Pure Milk Co. Building in 1932. Dimensions:
Height: 32 Feet (9.8 Metres)
Diameter: 16 Feet (4.9 Metres)
Weight: 6 tons Construction Materials:
Steel Plate Location:
The Dairy was located on Aquaduc Street and later renamed to Lucien L'Allier. Although not a community monument as such, it is big. Eventually, I will create a section on Commercial Monuments but for now, it is here. Besides, its a large dairy product. Reason for Building: It was used as a water tower for the Dairy. Additional Information: Apparently the old buildings on which it is erected are slated for demolition soon and it will be moved somewhere else (might have already happened). Check this site out too ,for other bigthings,.like the Orange Julep etc etc http://www.bigthings.ca/quebec/montrea1.html                                                                                             hf&rv