Fall 2026

Architecture parlante or mimetic architecture (i.e., buildings designed to reflect their intended use) was a growing trend in the U.S. in the first half of the 20th century.This style of architecture has many descriptors, but in popular terms it stands out as a roadside attraction and does a commendable job of implying its purpose, as in this case, often inducing an,“Oh yeah, it did look like a milk bottle,” reaction from viewers. Part of the charm of the building is that it did and still does fit so naturally into the town’s architectural mélange. As the first significant his- toric building one sees upon entering town, the building reflects “a Spanish Eclectic style based on the stucco walls, arched windows and tiled roof,” as described by architectural historian Kent Seavy. The contractor on the building was A. Carlyle Stoney. Stoney and his four brothers were pro- teges of renowned local master designer and builder M.J. Murphy before establishing their own company and taking on this project. The original Carmel Dairy proprietor, Earl Floyd Graff, was in the dairy business for 27 years. Graff procured his milk products from the nearby William Hatton Dairy and from the Martin Farm, which were located in what is now the area sur- rounding and including Mission Ranch.While the business was ongoing and the building unique, it was Graff’s perceptive decision to hire artist Jo Mora that transformed the project, adding immense charm to the dairy’s story through his abounding creativity. Joseph Jacinto “Jo” Mora came to Carmel with his family (wife Grace, son Jo Jr. and daughter Patty) in 1920 for a commission to create the cenotaph in honor of Father Junipero Serra at the Carmel Mission. Mora and his family became deeply ensconced in the local community— Mora was a founding member of the Carmel Art 160 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 6 (Clockwise from left) The hand-painted Carmel Dairy sign still graces the building’s wall. The dairy’s advertisements were carried in local publications. They have become very scarce and are highly collectible.