Central New York’s Cheesy Guide: 17 Towns As Cheese

June is National Dairy Month. It's a special time to raise a glass of milk (or better yet, a cheese board) to the hardworking dairy farmers and rich dairy traditions across the country. And if you live in Central New York or the Mohawk Valley, you’re smack dab in the middle of America’s original cheese belt.

The Birthplace of American Cheese: Rome, NY

Believe it or not, Rome, New York was the birthplace of America’s cheese industry. Back in 1851, Jesse Williams founded the very first cheese factory in the United States right near Fish Hatchery Road at Hyland’s Mills. The New York Times even backs it up, noting:

"Cheese was made in everyone’s home, but the idea that Jesse Williams would buy from the local farmers their milk, and pay them, and then he would go ahead and make the cheese—that whole idea started in Rome."

Williams’ innovation kicked off large-scale cheese production as we know it, and a century ago, hundreds of cheese and butter factories wrapped around the Adirondacks in a giant dairy C-shape. However, the industry faced a setback in 1895 when lawmakers banned bars from offering free lunches.

Today, New York still ranks third in cheese production, just behind Wisconsin and California. But Upstate dairy farms face new challenges—labor shortages, rising costs, and an aging farmer population. Still, our roots run deep, and the dairy spirit is alive and well in everything from local creameries to farmers markets.

So, in the spirit of National Dairy Month, let’s celebrate our local flavor. We imagined: What if Central New York and Mohawk Valley towns were types of cheese? Each one has its own texture, bite, and story. And just like your favorite wedge of sharp cheddar or creamy brie, these towns bring something special to the table.

What If Your Town Were a Cheese?

Here’s what your hometown would be if it were cheese:

17 Central New York And Mohawk Valley Towns As Cheese

From Utica to Verona, we paired Central New York towns with their cheese counterparts. See which dairy delight represents your hometown.

Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler

These 8 Spots on the Central New York Cheese Trail Are Pretty 'Grate'

"Central New York’s cheesemakers are combining forces to elevate your culinary experience in the Heart of New York!"

Hop aboard the Central New York Cheese Trail, where 8 different vendors are teaming up to bring you straight to the "gouda" stuff, if ya know what we mean.

Here's the different places you can visit. Don't forget to pick up a trail card from any of these participating locations! If you go to all of them, you can win an insulated tote bag (which is super nice, by the way.)

Gallery Credit: Kaylin

14 Exquisite Gourmet Cheese Shops in Upstate New York

Cheese production is a big business in Upstate New York. In fact, the Empire State is the fifth largest cheese-producing state in the US (Wisconsin is #1 of course).

What many don't know is that New York actually used to be one of the most dominant states in terms of cheese-making in the country. That was about 150 years back at this point. But there are still tons of delicious cheeses being produced in our state and we want to show them off.

Here are 14 of the best gourmet cheese shops in Upstate New York.

We hope you will visit them and when you do, don't forget to ...."say cheese!"

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio