Boulder Bridge Farm & The Dayton Family

In 1926, George Nelson Dayton established a dairy herd on his farm at Excelsior, Minnesota. He started with a foundation of nine purebred cows with good bodies, legs, rumps and udders. He then hired Leslie V. “Les” Wilson to oversee his extensive farming operation which besides Guernseys included Shropshire sheep, Percheron horses, several types of poultry and Hampshire hogs. Mr. Wilson had a good eye for livestock and an even better ability to hire good people.

During the next 24 years, Boulder Bridge Farm became one of the top livestock breeding establishments in North America and provided breeding stock to farmers throughout the United States.

The original group of nine Guernsey cows was gradually expanded to over two hundred head. Representatives were on exhibition nationally, without missing a year, beginning in 1928. During that period, Boulder Bridge exhibited four National Champion cows and four National Champion bulls,

Continuously, in Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) testing, the herd had a lifetime average of 433 pounds of butterfat. Over four hundred Advanced Registry (AR) production records were completed. In the show ring, Boulder Bridge competed with the best winning 218 Championships and 598 first prizes awarded at state and national exhibitions. The cattle were not over publicized but were well presented due to conscientious personnel and as a result were well received at public auction.

On October 6, 1950, a tent in the old riding ring housed an auction of the complete dispersal of the Boulder Bridge herd of Guernsey cattle. More than one-thousand people from the US and Canada attended. This dispersal was one of the biggest events in the history of the Guernsey breed.