Cheese House (c. 1917)

The Cheese House was built in 1917 by local residents who owned stock in the "Shawneehaw Cheese Cooperative." First quality, award-winning cheddar cheese was made here and shipped as far away as Atlanta. The fact that this was a cooperative business rather than a sole proprietorship meant that many people could benefit from the operation, whether selling extra milk from a productive cow or sharing in the profits as shareholders. It is another uniqe feature in the development of the town. The co-op closed during the Depression and the building was then used as a house for the dairy manager of Lees-McRae College, then a Lees-McRae chemistry professor, and then the office for the local fishing warden before standing vacant for a number of years. The Greater Banner Elk Heritage Foundation (Banner House Museum) renovated the building in 2003 for its headquarters. It is now office space for Lees-McRae College. Carefully cross the street and follow the brick sidewalk towards the center of town and your next stop, the red caboose.