Caledonia Haulers, Inc. was formed for the purpose of hauling milk from the farmers to the Land O’ Lakes plant in Caledonia. The original six shareholders were Joseph Gavin, President; Glen Derr, Secretary; Eugene Kohlmeyer, Vice-President; Hugo Muenkel, Director; John Schmitz, Director; and Walter Schuttemeier, Treasurer. These six men invested $200.00 each and acquired a loan from Sprague National Bank for $10,000 to purchase one milk tank and a 1958 International truck which was driven by John Schmitz.
In the beginning, our routes consisted of 90 cans of milk which they loaded on a straight truck at 20 different farms and traveling an average of 50 miles a day to get milk hauled into the Land O’ Lakes plant in Caledonia. These men picked up milk cans in Caledonia, Eitzen, Hokah, Spring Grove, Nodine and Decorah, Iowa.