Touring an Ice Cream Factory

The Brenham Creamery Company opened in 1907 and was solely known for making butter. A few years later, the company began making ice cream, and in 1930, the name was changed to Blue Bell Creameries, after the native Texas wildflower.

Since I'm in Texas now, I decided to tour Blue Bell's factory with my roommate Holly. Gretchen came along, too, and we spent an hour and a half driving to the small, small town of Brenham, Texas for the sole purpose of seeing ice cream being made. I had imagined a tour that was a non-creepy version of the chocolate tour in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory -- you know, with rivers of ice cream and flowers made from ice cream sandwiches.

Unfortunately, reality did not live up to my expectations. But I had fun, anyway. I wasn't allowed to take pictures of all the machines and tubes and freezers, but I did get some pictures of Holly and Gretchen and the charming town of Brenham.

The factory


Gretchen eating pistachio and almond ice cream after the tour. (Blue Bell's Pistachio and Almond is one of my favorite ice creams!)


Holly made me wear my tour hat for a picture, so I'm posting a real big one of her in her hat. :) Besides, I think she looks cute. :) She's been talking about the tour for weeks. You'd think she's a native Texan . . .


The truck behind us in the next picture is how ice cream companies used to deliver ice cream. It was state-of-the art in the early half of the century.


Here's just a part of Brenham's Main Street. I love old downtowns. Brenham is particularly well-maintained.


I was in the mood for antiques. I wanted to buy those two wooden and white chairs . . . And the little red one, too. (Family, I would've plastered a BYU sticker on it!) :)


I loved this old building! I wanted to take picture after picture of it! Turns out, it was built in 1873! So I ran my hands across some of the stones because it made me feel connected to the people who used to live there . . .




On our drive back to Austin, Gretchen and Holly spotted Memory Lane. So we took a drive down it. Of course. Of course!


In case you're wondering, this is what Memory Lane looks like. Also -- in case you're wondering -- it dead ends. :/



Thing I'm thankful for: warm, breezy days