Dixie Bottling Works started out in the early 1890s as Bristol Bottling Works, with C. R. Scharf as owner (2), on the corner nearest the bridge on Washington and Buford. Hugh M. Smith is listed as being over the company in the 1896-97 city directory (1). Sewell Howard, referred to as Colonel Howard by Robert S. Loving in his book "Double Destiny", who is a self made man from Rockwood, TN a town located in Roane County, is involved in the creation of a new Coca-Cola bottler in Bristol, VA. According to the Rockwood Times October 25, 1906, Sewell Howard's daughter Ava married a Jack Tarwater also from Rockwood.(7) According to the article, "after going east for the honeymoon, the couple will be at home in Bristol where Mr. Tarwater has large business interests."(7) Who makes the trip from Bristol to attend the wedding? Jerry Haggard, who is Secretary Treasurer of the Dixie Bottling Works of Bristol, VA which is incorporated on December 5, 1906, with Jack Tarwater listed as President.(4)

They had already taken over the company before incorporating it, and built a new building across the street from Dixie’s first location, which was announced on September 30, 1906, with A. G. Gibson getting the contract to erect the building in sixty days.(8) The new plant starts operations on December 10, 1906.(8) The odd thing is that the only people mentioned in connection with the company are James F. Tarwater, a capitalist from Rockwood Tennessee, Jack Tarwater, Jerry Haggard, and a Mr. Harnard, also of Rockwood, Tenn., who will be in charge of the soon to be constructed Norton Coca-Cola Bottling Company, where the old bottling equipment from the old Dixie Bottling building will be sent after it is replaced by the new equipment.(8) From the city directories of 1905-06 a Carl Mee is listed as manager of “Bristol Coca-Cola Bottling Works”.(1) Both Dixie Bottling Works and Bristol Coca Cola Bottling Works are listed separately, but at the same address.(1) Carl Mee according to my research is actually another person from Rockwood, Tennessee, who has been hired by Tarwater to manage the bottling plant. Sewell Howard and James F. Tarwater own part of the Coca-Cola Bottling Works of Rockwood, Tenn. and apparently have put up the money for these two bottling plants as well. By August 1913 Jack Tarwater is manager of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Rockwood, Tennessee.

Bristol's association with Coca Cola would actually be established earlier by M. H. Rush when he negotiated with a "Knoxville concern to ship bottled Coca-Cola to Bristol, which he distributed in the territory on a small scale."(3), this Knoxville concern was Roddy Manufacturing of Knoxville, TN. Roddy implies that they were shipping Coca-Cola by the Southern Railway lines to Bristol, VA as early as 1902, and reveals that they were "… shipping Coca-Cola to Bristol through 1904 and into 1905, but since we did not or could not put a bottling plant in Bristol, The territory was taken over by Carl Jones who built the Bristol Plant."(5) Actually it wasn't until 1907 that half of the existing Coca-Cola bottling company was bought by Carl A. Jones, and the rest was purchased eighteen months later.(3) So by some point in 1909 Carl A. Jones would own the whole of Bristol Cola-Cola Bottling Works.

At some point between 1902 and 1906, Dixie would move just across the street from its first location. Dixie would move from Washington Street to the corner of Lee and Sycamore Streets around 1911 where it would remain until March 8, 1951 when their new plant on West State Street would be dedicated with a four day open house with live music and "eats" the following weekend.(6) Unfortunately Carl A. Jones died on July 23, 1950 before the new building was dedicated.(6) John F. Clark became President by 1951 with Edith Carr Jones (Carl Jones' widow (6)) as Vice President.(1) The company is still in operation, but I think they are distributing Coca-Cola instead of bottling it now.

Dixie Coca-Cola Bottling Works bottled quite a few non-Coca-Cola brands along with the actual Coca-Cola endorsed brands throughout it's storied history. I have created a page dedicated to the different advertising that was issued by Dixie for these various brands, just click here to check it out.

Yes this thicket was once the home of Dixie Bottling Works from it's opening until around 1906.

From around 1906 until their move in 1911, this was the second location of the Dixie Bottling Works you can see the side of the original building on the left.

The same location as it exists today

Dixie Bottling Works occupied this location from 1911 till around 1948

The same location as it exists today

Dixie Bottling Works as it stands today at it's fourth and final location

Very early Dixie Bottling Works bottle from Bristol, Tenn(?). Dixie was never located in Tennessee.

Yet another Dixie Bottling Works bottle with Bristol, Tenn. on it. Actually this is a seltzer bottle from the company.

Aqua "Dixie Coca-Cola Bottling Company" in an arch version "straight side" Coca-Cola bottle

Amber "Dixie Coca-Cola Bottling Company" in an arch version "straight side" Coca-Cola bottle

Aqua "straight side" Dixie Bottling Works soda water bottle

Amber "straight side" Coca-Cola in slug plate bottle

Aqua "straight side" DBW in slug plate soda water bottles

Amber "straight side" "Coca-Cola on main body" version

Amber "straight side" "Coca-Cola on shoulder" version

6oz "Patd November 16, 1915" bottle dated 1918

6oz "Patd November 16, 1915" bottle dated 1925

6oz "Patd December 25, 1923" bottle dated 1937

Two different Jay's Quality Beverages bottles. Jay's was a Soda Water line, I would suspect.

6oz "Pat. D" bottle dated 1950

6 1/2oz "Trademark in patent office" embossed Coca-Cola bottle dated 1952

6 1/2oz ACl Coca-Cola bottles both dated 1958, but from different glass companies

6 1/2oz ACl Coca-Cola bottle dated 1963

10oz commemorative Coca-Cola Bottle celebrating Dixie’s 75th year of bottling Coca-Cola

16 oz ACL Coca-Cola bottle dated 1984

This page is only part of a much larger site. To see the rest then just click TAZEWELL-ORANGE.COM