Formerly: Alber Ice Cream Parlor (from 1934)
Freeport, Illinois · Founded 1914 · Building: 1934
A Freeport dairy founded in 1914 whose 1934 Alber Ice Cream Parlor survives as a working soda-fountain-style shop, though its ice cream is no longer made on site.
Union Dairy began in Freeport in 1914 as a dairy processor, then began making ice cream and opened its dedicated East Douglas Street parlor in 1934. The parlor, also known as Alber Ice Cream Parlor, retains a reported 1930s interior and has become a familiar local stop for cones, sundaes, and food. The business remains family-operated, but its original in-house ice cream production ended decades ago and some Union Dairy recipes are now produced by Cedar Crest.
Union Dairy began as a dairy processor in Freeport, processing milk for home deliveries, local schools, and grocery stores.
Source: Illinois Retail Merchants Association, We Are Retail, “Union Dairy Farms,” Jan. 17, 2025; RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
Union Dairy began producing ice cream and built the dedicated retail parlor at 126 E. Douglas St., also known as Alber Ice Cream Parlor.
Source: RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
A digitized Freeport Journal clipping reports that John Lelle purchased Union Dairy's ice cream parlor from Donald Aurand. The underlying newspaper page should be inspected before using this as a complete ownership-chain record.
Source: Genealogy Trails, digitized Freeport Journal clipping, Sept. 18, 1939
In a 2025 interview, General Manager Holly Snyder said her family took ownership about 30 years earlier. The precise transfer year, buyers, legal entity, and property ownership require verification.
Source: Illinois Retail Merchants Association, We Are Retail, “Union Dairy Farms,” Jan. 17, 2025
Union Dairy marked its 100th year with a painted wooden exterior sign; the sign is a 2014 anniversary addition rather than original 1934 fabric.
Source: RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
A retail-industry profile documented current family management and reported that Union Dairy had previously ended in-house ice cream manufacturing and sold many recipes that later passed to Cedar Crest.
Source: Illinois Retail Merchants Association, We Are Retail, “Union Dairy Farms,” Jan. 17, 2025
Every claim gets rated. A business's own website can never earn "documented."
A 2025 retail-industry profile says Union Dairy arrived in 1914 as a dairy processor, with farmers bringing milk for processing and distribution to homes, schools, and grocery stores. RoadsideArchitecture independently gives 1914 as the company founding year.
RoadsideArchitecture states that Union Dairy began producing ice cream in 1934 and built the present parlor, also known as Alber Ice Cream Parlor. This is the relevant start date for the current ice-cream-parlor identity, distinct from the dairy company's 1914 origin.
RoadsideArchitecture says the interior dates from the 1934 period and that the front neon letters may be original, but it also says the arrow sign may be later. This review found no architectural inventory confirming that every counter, stool, flavor board, sign, or neon component is original 1934 fabric.
A 2025 retail-industry profile says Union Dairy eventually shuttered its ice cream production and sold many recipes to a Wisconsin company; Cedar Crest later acquired the recipes and continues making some of the flavors. The parlor still serves ice cream, but current on-site manufacture should not be claimed.
General Manager Holly Snyder said in 2025 that her family took ownership about 30 years earlier, and current business materials show active local operation. This supports present family stewardship, but the specific legal entity, owners, ownership shares, and real-property ownership were not independently verified.
RoadsideArchitecture identifies the 1934 retail parlor as Alber Ice Cream Parlor, and current visitor listings use the same alternate name. A contemporaneous 1934 city directory, advertisement, or business record was not located in this review.
Union Dairy opened its retail ice cream parlor in 1914.
Union Dairy began in 1914 as a dairy processor. It began producing ice cream and built its dedicated retail parlor in 1934, making 1934 the relevant date for the ice-cream-parlor operation.
Source: Illinois Retail Merchants Association, We Are Retail, “Union Dairy Farms,” Jan. 17, 2025; RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
Union Dairy still makes its ice cream at the Freeport parlor.
Union Dairy later ended its own ice cream production and sold many recipes to a Wisconsin company. Cedar Crest subsequently acquired the recipes and continues producing some Union Dairy flavors.
Source: Illinois Retail Merchants Association, We Are Retail, “Union Dairy Farms,” Jan. 17, 2025
All Union Dairy neon signs and interior fixtures are original to the 1934 parlor.
A 1934-era interior is reported, and front neon lettering may date to that period, but RoadsideArchitecture says the arrow sign may be later. This review found no inventory proving the date of every fixture, counter, stool, flavor board, or sign.
Source: RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
The painted exterior Union Dairy sign is a historic 1934 sign.
RoadsideArchitecture says the painted wooden sign was made in 2014 for Union Dairy's 100th anniversary.
Source: RoadsideArchitecture, “Illinois Ice Cream Stands”
Union Dairy survived by changing its business model while retaining its local identity. It began as a dairy processor, expanded into retail ice cream in the 1930s, and later operated as a parlor and food stop after its production operation closed. Current family stewardship and the durability of the 1934 parlor experience allow it to function as both a working neighborhood business and a visible reminder of Freeport’s earlier dairy economy.
Union Dairy began in Freeport in 1914 as a dairy processor, and its current ice cream parlor dates to 1934. The company initially processed milk for local homes, schools, and grocery stores before beginning ice cream production and building the East Douglas Street parlor, also known as Alber Ice Cream Parlor. The business remains a local family-operated parlor, although Union Dairy no longer manufactures its ice cream on site.
No Illinois oldest-ice-cream-parlor title has been established for Union Dairy in this review. Union Dairy has a 1914 dairy-company history and a 1934 ice-cream-parlor history, which make it a long-running Freeport institution. But no statewide comparison of older ice cream parlors, soda fountains, confectioneries, dairies, closures, and successor businesses was conducted.
No. A 2025 retail-industry profile says Union Dairy eventually ended its in-house ice cream production and sold many of its recipes to a Wisconsin company; Cedar Crest later acquired those recipes and continues making some flavors. Union Dairy remains an operating ice cream parlor, but its historical recipe lineage should not be confused with current on-site manufacture.
Union Dairy’s parlor is reported to retain an interior from its 1934 era, and some front neon lettering may also date from that period. But the available source says the neon arrow could be a later addition, and this review did not find an architectural inventory confirming the exact age of every counter, stool, sign, or decorative element. The safest description is a historic 1930s-era interior with some details still awaiting verification.
126 E Douglas St, Freeport, IL 61032
(815) 232-7099
Union Dairy is at 126 East Douglas in Freeport. The official site lists ice cream, food, group reservations, and varying seasonal hours; check the current contact page before visiting, especially for Sunday and off-season service.