WORCESTER VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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Maxham Fur Farm

Mink Ranching in Worcester, Vermont
Background of Maxham Fur Farms - Earl Maxham founder and operator

1926
     Earl Maxham begins selling mink food ingredients and supplements to mink ranchers.

1927
     The first ranch mink arrive in Worcester.
     Earl Maxham buys the property, now owned by Dolly Richardson, at the junction of Rt-12 and Minister Brook Road for a mink
     ranch.

1930's
     Maxham Fur Farm expands to two new locations on Minister Brook Rd.
     Maxham Supply Co. is formed to process and supply frozen mink food to other ranchers.
     Earl Maxham encourages and assists others to raise mink through out Vermont.  He sells mink breeding stock as well as mink
     food.

1935
     Earl Maxham begins to purchase property for lumbering.

1936
     Minor creamery purchased and used for mink food manufacturing.  New freezers are constructed and processing area
     developed in the old Minor creamery.

1937-1941
     New hazards of mink raising are encountered.
     Canine distemper appears.
     Out-break of World War II weakens market for mink pelts.

1946-1960
     The post World War II years see the mink ranching business prosper with many new mutations colors being developed.  The fur
     quality and the size of the mink improve as better nutritional standards are developed.

     World-wide mink pelt production is making big gains.

     Earl Maxham buys interest in a whaling operation in Newfoundland.  The meat is a new source of protein for mink ranchers.

     Earl Maxham sets up a mink ranch in Newfounland.

1960-1970
     The mink business flounders as anti-fur groups stage protests against the industry.  This period flows into a period of 
     overproduction, lowering of pelt prices and increasing costs.

     The Maxham family stopped mink ranching in the fall of 1970.


The years the Maxham family raised mink saw many color phases develop in the mink industry.  The Maxham ranch was built around quality black mink.  In addition to blacks, we raised white, pastel, sapphire, pearl, violet and Aleutian mink.  These so called high color animals were frequently double and triple recessive.  These mink were difficult to raise in that they had a poor kit average and high mortality rate.

The Maxham Family - An excerpt from "The Cow That Tried To Swallow A Potato" A Quirky History of Worcester, Vermont


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  • Welcome
  • Publications
  • News
    • Annual Report 2022
    • Summer 2022
  • Videos
  • Worcester Arts Festival
  • Collection Highlights
    • Maxham Fur Farm
    • A Pantry from the 1880's
  • Board of Directors
  • Love Lights Tree Ceremony