The Abbott family began bottling and selling milk from their Salem, New Jersey, farm in 1876. The business, which expanded to multiple locations in Philadelphia around the turn of the 20th century, soon added "Alderney" to the business name.
Alderney cows, named for the northernmost of Britain's Channel Islands, were a cross-breed of Guernseys and Jerseys. Since the pure Alderney breed vanished during the 1940s German occupation of the Channel Islands, it's unlikely that we'll ever know whether the Abbott's family once milked Alderneys, or whether the name was simply an homage to a famous breed of dairy cattle. The facility shown here remained in operation until 1964, when operations were consolidated at a single Philadelphia plant; that location closed its doors 20 years later.
Also shown: other structures and signs from South Philly, some for going concerns, others for businesses long gone.
Abbott's Alderney Dairies
Surviving signage at 1715 McKean St. (at South Colorado St.), Philadelphia
