The cheese industry came to Wiota when the Wiota Creamery was built in 1893, later becoming a cheese factory. The factory was rebuilt in 1953, when Walter Gobeli was the cheesemaker, and has experienced numerous changes and expansions since that time. The name changed through the years, as very often occurred with a new cheesemaker. The factory operated as the Wiota Factory, Wiota Dairy Co-op, Wiota Cheese Company, and currently operates as Zimmerman Cheese Inc. at its location on Wisconsin 78 in Lafayette County. Among the cheesemakers throughout the years are Aschel Jordenson, Walter Gobeli, Virgil Swiggum, Jake Bisegger (1956 and 1958), Joe Stadelman, Albert Jegerlehner, Werner Zimmerman Jr., and most recently Brian, Mark, Paul and Chad Zimmerman. (Photo supplied by the National Historic Cheesemaking Center)