Bought this 1957 calendar off eBay. Had to get it, since it’s Ogie Enwall’s Swan Lake Dairy (no longer in operation) that was up the road, behind the Ohop Grange.
The farm was built on Robert Fiander’s homestead claim filed back in 1871.
My folks (Louie and Kathy Mettler) tell me that Ogie had a strong Danish accent and was tough to understand. But when he spoke, it was important and well thought out, and you needed to listen.
Ogie’s daughter Evelyn writes a fabulous piece about the dairy and her family that appears in Diane Grant’s book, Cruiser.
Here’s an excerpt:
“80 acres was the central partof the farm that my parents bought from Chris and Hannah (Fiander) Leber and William Leber. There is some disagreement among us about the number of acres. I believe we started with 160 and ended with 240. Our parents added pieces, purchasing some from George Bittner and the farm once owned by the Kregor family.
The small lake on the property was Swan Lake. The farm boundaries included part of Kregor Lake, too. A lumber mill had been on the property. I don’t know if that had been started by Robert Fiander or by Chris and Hannah Leber. I supposed it must have been Mr. Fiander as the house and the burn were built with sawn boards and square nails.”
Eatonville To Rainier 
18 responses to “Swan Lake Dairy, 1957”
“Yaww, dis iss Ogeeee, I got annudder flata tyer, I bringa da truck inna, Okayya..” this was many a phone calls I would get while working at my Dads Dodge dealership and gas station back in the ’60’s. Ogie had a fleet of old Dodge delivery vans that were running on some very bald tires. and we were always fixing his flat tires. Ogie was a real character. One of those kind of guys that you never forget. Eatonville was full of those kind of “Norman Rockwell” kind of characters !! I hated fixing those split-ring wheel flat tires from Ogies SwanLake Dairy trucks back then,but the memories are are priceless today. .
Thank you Diane for buying this calender. I’m so glad I sent the ebay listing to you.
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Yeah, my and dad thought he was great guy. Although they never dealt with flat tires. 🙂 They finally brought the price down on the calendar too. 🙂 Thanks.
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My sister and I laughed so hard at your description of our Dad’s speech. Somehow people understood him sooner or later.
We are still looking for glass Swan Lake milk bottles. Never thought to save them. (We have paper ones.)
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I will keep my eye out for bottles. Those would be great.
Di
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Mary Ellen,
I am Clara (Fiander) “Gram” Jensen’s great grand-daughter. Mae Ladine “Chick” (Duffy) McConnell is my Mom.
I have a Swan Lake Dairy delivery box for bottles (wood and metal) would you and your sister like to have it?
Just email me personally @ hendersonj_k@msn.com and we’ll figure it out how I can get it to you. I live in Federal Way. My cousin is John Carney of Eatonville, of course.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kathi Henderson
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My name is Kim, I have come across two old milk crates I am hoping to sell, the name us clearly Swan Lake Dairy, please contact if interested.
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Thank you for the comments. And Kim, I would love to purchase the milk crates. Let me know the best way to reach you. You can text me at 253-777-8077.
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My parents have many similar memories. My dad used to do a great impression. 🙂
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Thanks for showing this. My father was from Denmark, not Norway. I see a spelling error! Rats. The boards were sawn; not swan! I enjoy this site. Greetings to all.
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Oops. Sorry for the errors. I’ll make the changes first thing into the morning!
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[…] men, standing beside the Eatonville Fire Dept. No. 3 truck. On the left if Ogi Enwall, the owner of Swan Lake Dairy. Center is George Smallwood, the town’s mayor for a time and also a Fish and Wildlife […]
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we have a swan lake Dairy milk ice chest do you know if it would be from this dairy it was purchased at a garage sale ? In eatonville thanks
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I too have a wood and metal crate that’s says, Swan Lake DY 54 on it. If any one is interested. It is in prefect condition. Really neat piece of history.
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That is SO great. Picture to share?
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Do you still have crate. I am current resident of the Swan Lake Dairy Farm. Always looking for items from the dairy pics bottles what ever
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I’m always collecting Swan Lake Diary items if I can find them. 🙂 We had a nearby dairy in Ohop Valley and my grandparents and parents knew the folks there well. 🙂 Have you found things there?
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No just started looking. I know about history of land and how owned it before me. But have no memorabilia from the farm. Just finishing up remodel on house and would like to incorporate some history back into the house
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I’m so glad that it’s found a good owner. 🙂 I will check around here and see what I may have. 🙂
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