Lexington County summers were just as hot years ago as now.

During the era before refrigeration, many families in Lexington County had a structure called a summer dairy to keep milk and dairy products cool.

These dairy products were often placed in bowls of cool water from the well to help preserve them. Milk, cream, butter, and buttermilk were important and necessary ingredients in food preparation.

“Milch cows” received more attention than any other farm animal except for horses. The museum’s dairy came from the Seay family and still has some blue paint on it.