NESBITTS BOTTLING COMPANY

The June 23, 1948 Kingsport Times reports that a new bottling company has been granted charters of incorporation by the city of Kingsport this bottling company is the Nesbitt Bottling Company, Inc.(2) One of the incorporators is none other than William M. Fleenor, who started the Nesbitt-Fleenor Bottling Company back in 1941.(2) William Fleenor is President, Conley E. Brookshire is Manager, and Lacey E. Fuller as Secretary Treasurer.(1) Leta B. Fleenor is listed as Vice President in 1951.(1) Apparently there was an issue with the zoning of the area of Kingsport where the company was located, according to an article in the March 20, 1953 Kingsport times the previous bottling company had been out of operation for "more than a year".(1) This would put it late 1951. Jas W. Bond, who is manager(2), and E. T. Kilborne are operating the company.(1) Clifton E. Snodgrass is listed as Manager in 1955 and 1957.(1) 1957 would be the last mention of the company, which is not in existence by 1959.(1) This would be the last bottling company to be located at the New Street location, and the next to last bottling company in Kingsport altogether.

This is the location of this bottling company at 206 West New Street. The building appears to be standing; however, it has been remodeled.

7oz Cheer-up bottle dated 1953

8oz Barqs Root Beer bottle dated 1953

10 oz Barqs Root Beer bottle dated 1956. Note that the bottle actually says Barq's Bottling Company, is this yet another name change perhaps?

This is a Nesbitts bottle crate from the Nesbitts Bottling Company of Kingsport, TN.

While these two Nesbitts bottles don't have town names on them, they were part of twenty four bottles that I bought along with the crate you see above, and were most likely used by the company. They are only pictured here to show what the bottles would have looked like.

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