Hygrade Water & Soda Co. / St. Louis, Mo

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

Hygrade Water &Soda Company
St. Louis, Missouri

Prior to the Hygrade Water & Soda Co. there was the Hygeia Water and Soda Co. City directories tell me that they were located at 1342 Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis from 1909 to 1912. The name Hygeia is changed to Hygrade in 1912 and they will remain at the Chouteau address until 1924.
The name Hygeia comes from the goddess of health as shown below.

The first reference I find to a Hygeia water company in St.Louis is in 1892 where there are numerous ads for Hygeia Water bottled by the Waukesha Hygeia Mineral Springs Co., located at 212 North Commercial Street.
Below is a partial ad showing its location, different flavors and sizes available at the time.

Now only a month later the name Waukesha is dropped from the title of the company.

Now four years later and Waukesha Hygeia Mineral Springs Co is bankrupt. I am guessing that the Hygeia Water and Soda Co. evolved from this event but cannot prove it at this time.

I have no bottles or advertisements for the Hygeia Water andSoda Co.
Hygrade Water & Soda Company is incorporated in 1908 with capitol of $6,000.00. In 1919 a George J. Tamm jr, is listed as president with L C Tamm as vice president and Carl J Tamm as secretary. Hygeia became Hygrade in 1912 so I speculate Hygeia was incorporated in 1908 prior to the name change.
In 1921 we have a new line of officers, Wm Bagnell is president, P F Whitcraft is v.p. and Robt A. Bagnell is secretary.
April of 1924 and Hygrade leases a building at Thirteenth and Rutger Street and moves the bottling operation.
Another line of officers in 1926 has P F Whitcraft as pres.,A V Whitcraft as v.p. and Edgar Wickhorst as sec-treas.

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

Hygrade Bottles

Hygrade bottles. Here are the bottles in my collection. But first an ad from 1923.

A pair of 6-ounce size bottles, the bottle on the left has no St. Louis marking. No dates on the bottles but I am guessing mid 1920’s
Also, a 7-ounce from the late 1920’s and 10-ounce size bottle dated 1949.

Next, we have 3 quart versions of Hygrade, again no date markings, probable late 1920’s to early 1930’s. The bottle on the right is similar to the 7-ounce in it has no St. Louis mark.

Hygrade bottles Mt. Cabin
I found two ads for Mt. Cabin dating 1926 but have no bottle. This was most likely a paper label.

In 1929 Hygrade Water and Soda Co moves to a new building located at 657 Tower Grove Avenue. Below is a full-page ad from September of 1929 that was in a local publication called Whip and Spur.

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

Hygrade Bottles "WE"

Hygrade bottles “WE”
I found this sign advertising for WE ages ago in a small antique shop but did not have the bottle. So, the search was on and about three years later I found the soda at a St. Louis bottle show in the bottom of an old box full miscellaneous items that were for sale. No St. Louis marking or date on the bottle, just says “WE”. I only had to pay a few dollars for the bottle. Lucky "ME"
So now Thanks to online old newspaper archives I found an ad and can date the bottle and sign to 1929. Also mentioned was the developer of the drink, Syrex Products, Inc. St. Louis Mo. Yet we cannot forget Tony Cabooch who wrote a poem for “WE”

1937 rolls around and Hygrade Water and Soda Co is bottling a new drink for the St. Louis area called Pepsi-Cola. I found it hard to believe that Pepsi took so long to get here.

Here we have two ads from 1937 and 1938 for two different drinks with the same phone number. I have an Orange Crush bottled by Hygrade Water & Soda Co, but the ad is for a phone number for Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. This story links it all together. Orange Crush was franchised by The Orange Crush Company, Chicago,Illinois.

1941 and a new plant is being built for the Pepsi Cola Bottlers of St. Louis and is adjacent to the Hygrade Water & Soda Co. P.F.Whitcraft is president-treasurer of both companies.
Here is an ad from Season 1942 of the Municipal Opera

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

Hygrade bottles Dr. Swett's

Hygrade bottles Dr. Swett’s
Also seen in the above ad was an advertisement for Dr. Swett’s. At that time Dr. Swett’s was franchised by the Dr. Swett’s Root Beer Company,New York, NY. I have three versions Dr. Swett’s to share dating 1943 for the two paper label bottles, 1944 for the “S” bottle and 1945 for the pilgrim boy bottle.

Hygrade bottles O-So Grape
I found a 1946 ad and have two versions of O-So bottles dating 1946 & 1947. O-So was franchised from the O-So Grape Co., Chicago, Illinois. Oddly enough O-So purchases the Dr. Swett’s Root Beer Co. in 1949. Both “rich in dextrose” yummy!

Hygrade bottles Fruit Bowl
Franchised from Green and Green of Houston, Texas, Fruit Bowl is advertised in 1947 by Hygrade. I have a 7-ounce, 1946 example in mycollection.

Hygrade bottles Mason’s Root Beer and Squirt
I find no ads but I have a 1950, 10-ounce Mason’s Root Beer bottle and a 1948, 7-ounce Squirt bottle both being bottled by Hygrade. Masons being franchised from Mason & Mason Inc., Chicago, Illinois and Squirt being franchised from The Squirt Co., Beverly Hills, California.

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

More Hygrade

Hygrade bottles Mil-Kay
Years ago I purchased this 1950’s mini golf scorecard advertising for Pepsi, Mil-Kay and Hygrade sodas. I have a 1952, 10-ounce Mil-Kay bottle in my collection. Mil-Kay was franchised by the Mil-Kay Corporation of America here in St. Louis, Missouri

Also shown is some coupons I acquired some time ago dating to the mid 1940’s.
I am not exactly sure when Hygrade Water and Soda Company ended, guessing mid 1960’s but Pepsi Cola will probably go on forever.
These bottles are the only acl versions I have seen for Hygrade, both 10-ounce dated 1959.

HouTxSoda · Dec 20, 2018

Excellent posting, you have quite a collection there.

So you know anything about SYFO, a brand out of St. Louis ?

bottle-bud · Dec 20, 2018

Thanks for the nice comment!
I do know of a Syfo Water Co. that was located at 922 South Brentwood in St. Louis around the late 1930's to early 1940's for sure. Maybe longer. I do not have any of their bottles. I have seen seltzer bottles by them and if I remember correctly I had a small maybe 7-ounce bottle from Kansas City, Mo that was a Syfo. I sold it years ago. I don't recall seeing a Syfo that was St. Louis marked.

iggyworf · Dec 20, 2018

Great stuff bottle-bud! I like that 'dextrose...yummy'

Hygrade Water & Soda Co. / St. Louis, Mo

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