BELLINGRATH COCA COLA LITTLE ROCK AR

[Dean]

Hi Digger.
My Bellingrath from L.R. is the same as yours except the base embossing. Bellingrath had bottlers in 3 Arkansas cities; Little Rock, Pine Bluff, & Camden. They were in business in the Little Rock area in the period of 1915-1920. I'll check with the Coke plant in Little Rock tomorrow and see if they have any other information on Bellingrath. Thanks, Dean

 

[Dean]

Digger, Here is my L. R., Belingrath Coke. Dean

 

[digger mcdirt]

That Little Rock looks alot like this one. Seems to be several by that bottler. bob

 

[celerycola]

The Little Rock Bellingrath was Theodore who came from Tuscaloosa AL. The following is from my book: Alabama Coca-Cola Bottlers and Their Bottles.

Dennis Smith


Mobile

Opened by Crawford Johnson of Birmingham in 1902 and sold the next year to Walter. A. and William. D. Bellingrath of Montgomery.

Montgomery

Walter A. and William D. Bellingrath purchased the Montgomery plant from Crawford Johnson of Birmingham in 1903.

William Bellingrath was quoted in the Montgomery Advertiser in 1904: “The soft drink trade this season is now at its height, and we are going to make a strong effort to sell coca-Cola and Bottled Soda Water to every dealer within our territory. We are not only in position to furnish the genuine Coca-Cola, but we manufacture and sell the best Soda And Seltzer Waters as well.â€

Selma

Walter A. and William D. Bellingrath purchased the Selma plant from Crawford Johnson of Birmingham in 1903.

Their brother-in-law W. N. Brown managed the Selma plant at 1002 Water Street. The plant was later moved to 915 Greene St. Brown wrote his partners that the machinery worked only half the time. By 1911, Brown was selling over a million bottles of Coca-Cola annually within a hundred miles of Selma.

Tuscaloosa

Opened in 1903 by Theodore L. Bellingrath, brother of Coca-Cola bottlers at Montgomery and Mobile. The bottling plant was at 6th and 23rd Avenue.

Bellingrath took charge of the Little Rock, Arkansas, Coca-Cola plant in 1910, leaving his brother-in-law, J. S. Burnett of Andalusia, manager at Tuscaloosa.

Dothan

Opened in 1906 as a partnership between W. A. Bellingrath and G. M. Lewis, who had previously worked for the Bellingraths in Mobile and Montgomery. The plant at 304 North St. Andrews had a single employee who bottled in the morning and made deliveries in the afternoon.

Andalusia

Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1909 by a partnership between W. A. Bellingrath of Montgomery and his brother-in-law, John S. Burnett, who managed the plant located in the Riley Building. With the help of his nephew, George M. Etheridge, Burnett ran the operation with a single foot-powered bottling machine and advertised “Bottlers of Coca-Cola and High Grade Soda Waters.†Burnett took charge of the Tuscaloosa Coca-Cola plant in 1910.

 

[wonkapete]

I just picked up a Bellingrath from Dothan. Here's the Dothan next to the Selma.

Dennis, do you know if embossed Bellingrath bottles exist from Andalusia and Tuscaloosa?

 

[kastoo]

Yea, in Fort Valley, GA it was embossed Fort Valley instead of Bellingrath and I believe it was soda water. I only found broke Fort Valley when I was stationed in the area. They've since made that prime dig area into a plaza. They broke a lot of prime bottles bulldozing. The bulldozing brought a kajillion diggers. I hear there's no place even to sneak a dig there, all grass.

 

[bama1]

are the montgomery belligrath's common?

 

[bama1]

I have a montgomery and a selma bellingrath. Do they bring anything? Hey wonkapete, I see you have some selma bottles. Are the central city bottling co. crown top bottles from selma worth anything? Also have selma produce company and richard & thalheimer bottlers hutch.

 

[Bamaman1020]

ORIGINAL: wonkapete

I just picked up a Bellingrath from Dothan. Here's the Dothan next to the Selma.

Dennis, do you know if embossed Bellingrath bottles exist from Andalusia and Tuscaloosa?

I was asked and showed last night (8/25/09) a Bellingrath bottle it says at the bottom Tuscaloosa AL, property of coca cola bottling co and the bottom is stamped wit WAB and the number 3. Anyone have any idea how old this bottle may be and how much it may be worth. It was found by a man I work with and he is older and asked me to see if i could find out anythign about it. It is almost a greenish color, and is very heavy and thick. Any information would be great. Thanks

 

[wonkapete]

Bama1, I emailed you. I'd be interested in the Montgomery bottle, if it's for sale.