J. Frank and Jeannette Bradley’s Racine Farm
(As Told By Jerry Bradley who lived on this farm until he was 8 yrs. old)
I was born on January 30, 1946, in Racine, Wisconsin. Our family lived on Grandpa and Grandma Bradley’s dairy farm until I was eight. Our family then moved to a dairy farm near Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Franklin, Morris, and Elinor were all raised on the Racine farm.
The farm was located on Highway 38 about 5 miles north of Racine and about 20 miles south of Milwaukee. The farm had distinctive yellow barns and Grandpa and Grandma lived in a large, three story white house. A local business man originally owned the farm. J. Frank was hired by him to be the Farm Manager in 1916. It was a large dairy farm for that era, over 200 acres and 50 Guernsey milk cows. J. Frank bought the farm several years later. He was recognized with several awards for progressive farming methods including crop rotation, using new agricultural seeds, and the early use of a milking parlor.
I remember loving the Racine farm. Adjacent to the farm was the Root River and Hood’s Creek. Fishing and playing in the creek and river was less than a half mile walk from our house. The farm also bordered on Johnson Park Golf Course. My brothers and friends often went to the golf course to find golf balls and sold them back to the golfers. We were thrilled to get a nickel for a ball. Back then, a large Snickers Bar cost a nickel. The Northwestern Railroad also ran through the farm and I remember sitting by the tracks and waving at the engineers and crew as the steam engines would pass pulling freight trains.
The farm also had a half-acre orchard. In season, we had all the apples, peaches, pears, and cherries we wanted to eat. We also had an old quarry that had filled with water and was stocked with fish. Fishing was one of my favorite childhood activities. There were a lot of kids in the neighborhood, so we never lacked for friends.
The farm also had a large woods that was full of spring flowers. Mom and grandma would often send me to the woods to pick flowers and asparagus. Grandma would always give me a cookie for my work.
I can’t imagine a more fun environment for a young boy than this farm. The farm was sold in 1954, and Grandpa and Grandma moved to Somers, Wisconsin, about 20 miles away. The people who bought the farm still own it.
Jerry Bradley
Son of Morris and Phyllis Bradley
