About a week or so ago, the social media posts popped up – What happened to the boat in front of the Cheese Factory? Seemingly overnight the replica of the Morning Star that had graced the front of The Creamery for decades was gone. In it’s place was a sign: “A New Morning Star Experience Coming Soon.” There were hundreds of comments, rumors and responses, so the Pioneer reached out for the “scoop” from TCCA:
Statement from Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA)
Re: Morning Star replica update
Our first priority at the Tillamook Creamery is guest safety, and after several decades in coastal weather, the previous Morning Star ship replica was no longer structurally sound, so we took it down to make room for something new. We’re committed to creating an even better experience for our guests and our community in the future.
Concept work is underway to design and build a re-imagined Morning Star replica outside the Creamery – one that will include weather-resistant materials and a more interactive and accessible experience for guests to learn about the co-op’s heritage.
A project of this magnitude takes time and resources, and we anticipate a new experience will be in place in 2027.
The Morning Star remains our brand icon and a central part of our heritage.
More details about the history of our farmer-owned co-op can be found on Tillamook.com/our-story.
Ohhhh!! An interactive and accessible experience … we’ll miss seeing the Morning Star and look forward to TCCA’s re-imagined exhibit that honors the maritime connection that helped make Tillamook Cheese and international product.
The Tillamook County Pioneer shared the story about the launch of the original Morning Star earlier this year – https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/on-this-day-in-local-history-january-4-1855-launching-the-morning-star/