LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - SEPTEMBER 10, 2023 by Lynne Belluscio This is a story about how the ELM Dairy got its name. In 2011, Dorothy Slaven donated a portrait of her grandmother to the Historical Society. Dorothy’s grandmother was Lenore Metcalf and she was from Painted Post. Her maiden name was Cowen and Dorothy knew that her grandmother was called “Nettie”, but she didn’t know much more. She did know that her grandmother was Charlie Metcalf’s first wife and Charlie started the ELM Dairy. But Dorothy didn’t know the connection between ELM and her grandmother. I had to do a little digging, and I discovered that Lenore Metcalf’s first name was Emily, and so her initials were E.L.M. - - ELM. And Charlie named the dairy after his wife. Charlie has an interesting story. He was born in 1891 and was from Portville. He became a traveling salesman for Orator Woodward and the Genesee Pure Food Company – the Company that started Jell-O. In 1914, after the death of Orator Woodward, Charlie became a purchasing agent for Jell-O and soon became a sales manager. When Jell-O and Postum merged in 1925 to become General Foods, Charlie became General Foods’ purchasing agent and soon was the vice president of the New York City office. After a few years he left General Foods and moved out of town and went to work for Schenley Liquor Corporation. Later he became president of Clinton Industries and organized the orange juice division. When he returned to Le Roy he became interested in the agriculture and dairy business. On November 1, 1943, he started the ELM Dairy. (Yes, it is spelled with all capital letters.) He wanted the most up-to-date facility and he built a new plant on East Main Road in Le Roy. It was considered the cleanest, most sanitary, and modern dairy of its kind and size in the region. It was located on East Main Road where the MedEx Billing Company is now. The ELM Dairy was the first to introduce the cellophane-covered bottle cap in Genesee County as well as the first to introduce the square bottle. In addition to processing milk, the ELM Dairy became known for its ice cream. The Red Osier Restaurant in Stafford, which was established in 1940 by Mr. Whitlock, had closed during World War II. Charlie Metcalf bought the Osier and reopened it on October 11, 1949, under the management of Harold Lytle. As much as Charlie wanted the Osier to become the ELM Dairy Restaurant and Dairy Bar, it was still called the Osier. It was open 8 am to midnight and was known for its chicken pot pie which included a salad, hot rolls and all the coffee you could drink, all for only 90 cents. A full course turkey dinner was $4.85. Metcalf also opened the ELM Dairy Bar on Route 20 where the specialty was a light lunch or pancakes served with ham or sausage. Charlie and Lenore lived on East Main Street in Le Roy in the green house, (formerly the Garden View Facility). Lenore died in 1958 and Charlie married Adelaide Woodward, Don Woodward’s widow. Adelaide lived across the street from Charlie and Lenore’s house on East Main Street, and Charlie maintained Lenore’s house. Charlie died in 1964 and in 1972 the ELM Dairy was sold to Upstate Milk Cooperative. The Dairy store on East Main was a great place to go for ice cream. In 1985 the building was destroyed by fire. Today, ELM Dairy bottles are great collectibles and come in a variety of colors and sizes. Notice that the letters are in all capital letters – for Emily Lenore Metcalf. One collector noted that he had fourteen different chocolate bottles, all with a different jingle. Here is the little jingle on a bottle that was posted on LeRoy Then and Now: Here are two kids Chuck full of glee They like our milk It’s plain to see If older folks more Milk would drink We’d have less sickness Don’t you think If you have a bottle with one of the jingles, jot it down and send it to the Historian’s office at 3 West Main Street, or send it off to LeRoy Then and Now. It would be great to have a few for the files. The ELM Dairy
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