Owensboro’s Velvet Milk Company Left Behind Sweet Memories

At the risk of dating myself, I have the vaguest recollections of the milk man delivering to our home. Please don't quiz me; we're talking about a very long time ago. The deliveries stopped when I was very young, like pre-school age.

Velvet Milk

While my memories of milk delivery are sketchy, my memories of the brand itself are not. I remember seeing Velvet Milk on store shelves, yes, but the main reason is that when I was in elementary school, Velvet Milk was the beverage with lunch. It was easy to come by; the Velvet Milk Company was right here in Owensboro.

Another memory revolves around those large cardboard containers in which gallons were sold. We still have cardboard half-gallons today, and that's fine; they're not at all unwieldy like those big, awkward milk cartons. They came with a flexible plastic handle, but you still had to hold the bottom of the carton for a successful pour. Again, unwieldy and now gone from our lives.

The History of Velvet Milk Company

Velvet began its life as Owensboro Ice Cream and Dairy Products, founded by Martin and Elmyra Montgomery in 1927. They produced other dairy products, like ice cream, but it's the milk that stands out in my mind. The Velvet brand is also a big part of Casey Owens' family's history. He and I belong to the History of Owensboro Facebook group, and he shared some amazing images with me of his grandparents' Velvet memorabilia. I love old Owensboro memorabilia, and, outside of the cartons, I've never seen any of this stuff before.

Casey Owens

Casey Owens

What about you? Do you remember home milk delivery? Do you remember the Velvet brand and drinking it in school with lunch?

(You know, I never have liked drinking milk with meals, but a memory's a memory.)