1930 REO milk truck

Pity this poor milk truck. It may be the only one in existence. But no one seems to want the more-than-90-year-old bespoke beast made for the Milkhouse Creamery in Berwick, Pennsylvania, in 1930.

It was apparently one of three unusually designed milk trucks made by REO Motor Car Company. Defunct since the mid-1950s, the manufacturer made cars, trucks and buses. Its haulers mostly transported milk.

A few companies commissioned signature models shaped like milk bottles. The rock band REO Speedwagon gleaned its name from the automaker’s name. The REO initials stood for Ransom Eli Olds. He helped establish Oldsmobile in 1897 and debuted his company in Lansing, Michigan, in 1905.

REO speed wagon: Can’t find a home
According to a post on BarnFinds.com, the milk truck was also listed for sale in 2016 and 2020. It was made from aluminum and is in two pieces. There’s no engine but a transmission and rear-end remain. The most recent bid was $1,265, but that was below the reserve price.

The seller doesn’t include an asking price in their ad, but details the truck has a clear title and a willingness for a trade. The truck is located in Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania.

Introduced in 1915, the various-styled REO vehicles were also used as tow, dump and fire trucks as well as hearses and ambulances. The manufacturer stopped making cars in 1946 to focus on trucks.

As a precursor to the modern-day pickup, REO used the slogan, “Master of Rural Transportation” in its advertising brochures.

The truck’s advertising jargon read, in part:

“Time-saving travel combines with a sureness of performance to make the Speed Wagon most faithfully serve the rural owner.

“Keen understanding of the farmer’s hauling needs shows in every phase of the Speed Wagon design and manufacture. Mighty power, brute endurance, pneumatic tires, moderate chassis weight, driving simplicity, load capacity.

“All are embodied so that stall-free operation — anywhere, anytime, and with any load — becomes a fact.”
https://www.rvtravel.com/1930-milk-truck-reo-speed-wagon-rock/

Update 6/3/21 – It’s been another year and the Milk Bottle truck is still kicking around. Find it here on eBay again. Hopefully, the seller gets real with his reserve so this unique machine can go to someone who will get it back on the road!

Update 2/1/20 – The milk bottle is back! It’s been almost four years since we featured it last and this time it’s listed here on eBay with the option to bid or buy it now for $6,500. Thanks go to Barn Finds reader Darrun for the tip!

From 3/16/16 – We’ve all seen old milk trucks, but when was the last time that you saw one that actually looked like a milk bottle? This unique creation is claimed to be 1 of 3 trucks built for Berwick Creamery. It needs to be restored, but the irreplaceable parts appear to all be there. The seller doesn’t include an asking price in their craigslist ad, but they do mention that the truck has a clear title and that they are open to trades. It’s located in Wapwallopen, Pennsylvania and thanks goes to Drew V for the tip!

If you look closely, you can make out the Berwick Creamery logo. I bet this was quite a sight to see back in the day. Just picture the look on the neighborhood kid’s faces when the milkman came rolling down the streets of Berwick, Pennsylvania in this thing! Heck, if it were mine, I’d be tempted to start up a delivery business just to cruise around and make everyone’s day. It would probably cause almost as much stir as an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile sighting.

The restoration would most likely be more than I could realistically manage, but I want to try so badly! Researching the history of the truck and attempting to return it to its original form would be lots of fun. An old milk truck may not normally be that exciting, but I bet this one would even get you invited to all sorts of fancy-schmancy events. Hey, there were Hot Rods at Pebble a few years back, so why not milk trucks?

https://barnfinds.com/1930-reo-milk-bottle-truck-2/