email: roadarch@outlook.com

Giant Milk Cans

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

Earlee Mug
Granby, MA		 Milk Cans
Bangalore, India
The Earlee Mug features a giant milk can and giant milk bottle. The sheet metal milk can was produced in the 1930s in Chicopee, MA. The bottle was made locally. They were created to draw customers to the Dufresne's Dairy Bar. The milk can was used as the ice cream stand. A building next door had tables.

In 1963, the milk can, bottle, and building were moved across the street to the present location. Over the years, the business was known as Marion & Ken's, the Maple Brook Restaurant, and Manny's Place. It has been the Earlee Mug since around 2010. The milk can which is attached to the restaurant contains a few tables. The bottle is used for storage. [map]

These Bangalore Milk Cans are installed at a dairy. Does anyone know more about them? [photo thanks Allan Williams]

Milk Can Drive-in
North Smithfield, RI
The Milk Can Drive-in was built around 1931 as an ice cream stand. It was built in the shape of an old-fashioned cream can. The building is 32 feet tall. The cap and handle are made of sheet metal. The building was originally located in Lincoln, RI. There was also a twin building in North Providence, RI which was demolished. When the ice cream stand was sold in 1947, burgers and other foods were added to the menu. In 1960, a roofed patio was added for outdoor dining. The Milk Can Drive-in closed in 1968 and sat boarded up for 20 years. It was nearly demolished before being moved here in 1989. It is now about 10 miles north of the original location. The first photo is from when it was located in Lincoln. The other two photos are from 2009 in North Smithfield where it still remains vacant. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Little Man Ice Cream
Denver, CO		 Salvador's Ice Cream
South Dartmouth, MA
The Little Man Ice Cream milk can was built in 2008. It is 28 feet tall. The company's Fort Collins, CO location was built in the shape of an ice cream churn. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Salvador's 30-foot-tall milk can was originally located in New Bedford, MA and was moved here next to the owners' house in 1935. There once was a giant dairy building next to the can. The handles and can were originally painted silver and there was a plaster cow on top. In 1967, on-site production of milk and ice cream ended but the ice cream business is still family run. In 2005, new owners began restoring the building (two photos at right). They repainted it and added handles and a new rooftop cow statue. In 2019, the business closed and the milk can is now fenced off. For more, see this website. [map]

Giant Milk Can
Moriarty, NM
This Giant Milk Can is located at McCall's Pumpkin Patch. It was built around 2015. It looks like it was modeled after the Milk Can at Little Man Ice Cream shown above. [map]

More Milk Cans:
Cream Can (Markerville, AB)

Giant Containers
Main Page