THE BLUEFIELD COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY

The Bluefield Coca Cola bottling company started out as H. B. Shelton and Co. sometime before 1893 at 17 McColloch Ave, with Harvey B. Shelton and George S. Stradler listed.(1) By 1904 it is listed in the city directory as the Hygeia Distilled Water Company at the same location.(1) Between 1904 and 1910 the company has changed its name to the Bluefield Bottling Co. located at 15-17 McCulloch Avenue and has Edgar W. Akers as manager.(1) Akers is last listed as manager until at least 1915.(1) On November 23, 1915 the Bluefield Daily Telegraph announced that work had started on the new bottling plant for the Bluefield Bottling Company.(4) The blurb goes on to note that the old two story frame structure that the company had been occupying on McCulloch Avenue since it's inception was torn down to make way for a new three story fire proof building(4), which still stands today. In the National Association of Creditmen's January 1916 there is a listing for a new member of the association in the form of H. Milnor Mitchell, formerly of the Crystal Bottling & Cider Company of Graham, VA, the listing also notes his being over The Keystone Bottling Company of Bluefield, West Virginia.(3) This is the first and only mention of the Bluefield Bottling Company being called the Keystone Bottling Company that I have found so far.

The Keystone Bottling Company, whose principal office was located in Keystone, West Virginia, was incorporated on February 2, 1907.(4) The stockholders of the company was C. S. Angel of North Fork W. VA, C. C. Hale of Keystone, VA, C. W. Elliot of North fork, W. VA, W. E. Stuart of Keystone, W. VA, and T. W. Zink of Keystone, W. VA.(4) This company would become the name of a group of bottlers with branches in Keystone, W. VA(4), Welch, W. VA(2), North Fork, W. VA(2), and finally Bluefield, W. VA(3). The main product of this bottling group was Coca-Cola, and this may have been the period that Bluefield Bottling Company picked up the brand, as 1923 was the first mention of it in the city directories.(1) This bottling group identified its bottles not by using a town name on them, except in certain cases, but by using the initials K. B. Co. which is usually located on the bottom of the bottles including their Coca-Cola Bottles.

In 1919 Charles M. Perdue is listed as manager. The company moves from McColloch Ave. to 1217-1221 Bluefield Ave between 1921 and 1922.(1) The company is now operating with C. S. Angel as president, W. E. Stewart as Vice President, H. Milnor Mitchell as Treasurer, and J. H. Bowman as Secretary.(1) Polk's City Directory notes that they are bottling Coca-Cola, Cherry Blossom, and Southern Breeze Ginger Ale. In 1923 W. M. Mays is listed as manager of the company, with Waverly T. Jackson taking over the reins by 1925.(1) Between 1923 and 1925 they change their name to The Bluefield Coca Cola bottling company. Jackson Continues as manager until between 1927 and 1932 when J. J. Huddleston takes over as President, with Thomas B. Hoilman as Secretary, and H. Milnor Mitchell as Treasurer.(1) By 1934 H. Milnor Mitchell is listed as general manager which he will keep until at least the mid 1940's. Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company will continue to operate at the Bluefield Avenue location until around 1977.(1)

The original McColloch Ave. location for the Bluefield Bottling Company, and it still stands today; however, not in it's original 1893 form of course.

Coca Cola of Bluefield, WV as it stands today

"Nov. 16, 1915" Coca-Cola bottle with K. B. Co. embossed on the bottom which may have been used at the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company.

"C. C. Soda" Soda Water bottle from the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company with K. B. Co. embossed on the bottom.

A paper label bottle dated 1922 with K. B. Co. embossed on the bottom which may have been used at the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company. This bottle was possibly used to bottle Ginger Ale.

1925 advertisement from the City Directory

Ad announcing the introduction of Nu-Grape to Bluefield, WVA

6oz Nu-Grape bottle dated 1926. Though there isn't any mention of a bottling company name on the bottle, my research has backed up my original speculation that this brand was indeed bottled by the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company during the Keystone Bottling era.

July 20, 1926 ad announcing that the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company had stopped using the City water supply, and had drilled a well to supply their bottling line. This is the only ad that I have found that directly named the Bluefield Coca-Cola Bottling Company as the home of the aforementioned Nu-Grape Bottling Company of Bluefield, WVA

6oz Bluefield Bottling Company deco bottle dated 1927

9oz Bluefield Bottling Company deco bottle dated 1927

September 23, 1936 ad for Rock Cliff Ginger Ale which was distributed by the Bluefield Bottling Company. Rock Mineral Springs Company was part of the Northfork Coca-Cola Bottling group.

"Nov. 16, 1915" Coca-Cola bottle with Bluefield W. VA embossed on the bottom. This bottle would be used after the Bluefield Bottling Company was sold.

"Dec. 25, 1923" or "Christmas Coke" dated 1934

Coca Cola of Bluefield advert from the 1939 Bluefield Telegraph half century of Bluefield, WV special edition. It claims that the Coca-Cola Bottling Company had been serving the area for thirty five years which would put it around 1904. Since the city directory indicated in the would have been published around 1903 it is possible that they are referring to the change of hands from the Hygeia Distilled Water Company, to the Bluefield Bottling company and placing the time of this exchange as 1904.

Pat. D-105529 coca cola bottles, the one on the left is dated 1948 the other one is dated 1943

"Tradmark registered in patent office" Coca Cola bottle dated 1957

Coca Cola of Bluefield advert from 1950

16 oz "Coke / Coca-Cola" acl bottle dated 1973

6 1/2 oz "Coke / Coca-Cola" acl bottle dated 1975

In 1970 Bluefield Coca Cola bottling company is bottling Dr. Pepper following the disappearance of Dr. Pepper from Bluefield, VA. The very next year in 1971 they pick up Canada Dry which they bottle till around 1975. They would drop Dr. Pepper in 1976 just before they disappear from their location on Bluefield Ave. The above bottle is from this period; however, there is no name on the bottle but it is on the cap.

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