History behind the names
Being an avid Ohio history buff, we knew that incorporating local history into our business was a desire. That's why we decided to name our cheese business Blue Jacket Dairy after the creek that flows through our property in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Blue Jacket, the Shawnee war chief who signed the Treaty of Greenville, played a crucial role in opening up the Northwest Territory for settlement. Proud to honor our state's rich heritage with each delicious bite of cheese!
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Hull's Trace
This name was chosen in recognition of the historical significance of the Hull’s Trace that runs through Logan County and near our cheese facility.
“The route crossed the Blue Jacket Creek about one mile west of Bellefontaine, and continued on north near the present road from Bellefontaine to Huntsville.”
-From History of Logan County Ohio (1880)
At the beginning of the War of 1812, the United States was concerned about supplying Fort Detroit and the surrounding Michigan Territory. Since the British forces controlled Lake Erie, supplies could only be brought overland. In June and July 1812, the troops, under the command of General William Hull, constructed a trail that became known as "Hull's Trace," a 200-mile military road running from Urbana to Detroit.
The trail also helped advance settlement in the northwestern corner of Ohio. Because settlers had a path to follow northward, it also made it easier for the settlers to transport their belongings. In turn, it provided easier access to the more settled areas of Ohio as most people were seeking farmland. As soldiers returned from the War of 1812, they claimed the choicest parcels of land that they had seen on their way to Detroit along Hull's Trace.
Greenville
Part of the process of selecting a new cheese name is to research the historical significance of locations or people as it relates to our area. Knowing that the Greenville Treaty Line was the source for the name of our new cheese, it was good to learn more about the various treaties made with the Ohio Indians. One book read was, "The Other Trail of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians."
The final migration was in 1843. Here is an excerpt that jumped out when reading, particularly as its relates to Bellefontaine:
"All along the way from Upper Sandusky to Cincinnati, people had come out to see the Wyandot and their long caravan of wagons and horses. Many had never laid eyes on an Indian before. They thought of them as wild children and could not understand why these people looked so much like themselves. At Bellefontaine, a reporter from the Logan Gazette saw them pass by on the afternoon of July 13. He admired their 'stout hearts' as they walked and rode by calmly in the dust and heat."
Ludlow
Cow's milk is used to make this semi-hard aged homestead original. It is aged for four to six months. The paste (inside) of these 20-pound wheels is smooth and dense and the flavor is sharp and nutty.
This cheese is named after Israel Ludlow. During the 1780s and 1790s, he was a surveyor and town planner in the Northwest Territory and in 1795, he platted the town of Dayton, Ohio.
Houtz
Goat's milk is used to make this semi-hard aged homestead original. It is aged for two to four months. The paste of these 15-pound wheels is smooth and dense and the flavor is mildly sharp and earthy.
This cheese is named after John Houtz. In 1821, he erected a saw mill in Harrison Township, Logan County, Ohio, on the property where Blue Jacket cheese is produced.