On June 18, 1929, the Meridian Creamery opened its doors and on that same day, a celebration was born: the very first Dairy Days.Behind Meridian City Hall, where the creamery once stood, historic roots run deep. As Dairy Days a pproaches, the story of how dairy became the heartbeat of Meridian and Idaho's number one agricultural industry is worth revisiting.Ray Plum, a Meridian Dairy Days board member, remembers the tradition fondly.WATCH: See how dairy built the city of Meridian and put Idaho on the map How dairy built Meridian: The history behind Dairy Days"The library had a float ... so my mom would volunteer us to walk down the parade when we were little," Plum said.Back then, dairies stretched across Meridian. Farmers brought their cows to show their neighbors, and the Ada County Dairymen's Association helped hold the community together.Hans Bruijn, president of the Meridian Dairy Board, recalled what the landscape once looked like."It was a lot of work, but I really enjoyed it. It was kind of fun because at that time in Meridian, there was like four or five other dairies within a mile each way," Bruijn said. "Now that has changed. There's really no dairies left in Meridian."When the Great Depression hit, according to the Meridian History Center, the creamery became a lifeline. Farmers brought their milk, received their checks, and then used that money to pay their taxes and feed their families. Dairy didn't just feed Idaho it saved it.EVENT GUIDE | What to know before heading to the 97th Meridian Dairy DaysThe creamery eventually closed around 1970. Milk was shipped to Caldwell for processing, and in the decades that followed, Meridian grew into one of the fastest-growing cities in America, replacing dairy farms with subdivisions.RELATED | Reed's Dairy brings 70 years of Idaho flavor to Meridian's Dairy Days celebration"Meridian at one time was the dairy capital of Idaho," Bruijn said.But the industry didn't disappear. According to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, dairy revenue exceeds potato revenue in Idaho today. In 2004, dairy became the single largest source of revenue of any agricultural product in the state.Idaho ranks third in the nation for milk production behind only California and Wisconsin supporting more than 33,000 jobs and more than 350 family-owned farms."I think it's important to keep in mind what built this city. It's changed obviously a lot," Bruijn said.What started as a picnic for local farmers 97 years ago now draws thousands of people to the streets of Meridian every June.With America celebrating 250 years this year, Dairy Days is an opportunity to remember that the industry that helped build this state started right here in this Meridian neighborhood.This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. ...read more read less