Berkeley Club Beverages
1928—Present
Berkeley Club Beverages began as the Berkeley Club Ginger Ale Company in 1928 (WV Sec. State, n.d.), then continued as such until 1935. This company is represented by the last bottle in the gallery below, which is embossed and has a paper label. This company was a continuation of Berkeley Springs Bottling Company (not Works), which officially dissolved in 1929 to become this company. I am unsure as to whether Berkeley Springs Bottling Company bottles exist.
In 1934, the company split into two companies: Berkeley Club Bottling and Manufacturing Company and Berkeley Club Beverages Incorporated (WV Sec. State, n.d.). This is the span of time from which most of the bottles below arrive. The former would merge with the latter in 1974, remaining simply Berkeley Club Beverages. Berkeley Club Beverages, Inc. continues today as a bottled water company.
A 7-ounce, embossed Berkeley Club. ABM.
A 12-ounce, embossed Berkeley Club. ABM.
A Berkeley Club with a diamond label. 7-ounce. Front.
A Berkeley Club with a diamond label. 7-ounce. Back.
A quart-sized Berkeley Club with a white label. Front.
A quart-sized Berkeley Club with a white label. Back.
A quart-sized Berkeley Club with a yellow label. Front.
A quart-sized Berkeley Club with a yellow label. Back.
A Berkeley Club with only a shoulder label. Same design on back.
A 6-ounce, earlier paper label Berkeley Club.
Berkeley Springs Bottling Works
1904—1911
Berkeley Springs Bottling Works first appears in the 1904 Dun & Bradstreet, opening sometime between March and July (Mercantile Agency, Jul. 1904). That being said, 1904 is extremely early for a crown top soda bottle, leading me to believe that there is an undiscovered hutch from this company. It is not guaranteed that this is the case, as crown top molds date to the mid-1890s, but there is a non-zero chance.
Nevertheless, W.T. Buser was the proprietor of this bottling works, which is also embossed on some variants of their bottles. This is also corroborated by newspapers articles (“Berkeley Springs”, 1906; “Personal Mention”, 1908). More specifically, Buser was the general manager, Vice President, and Treasurer of this firm (“More Bottling”, 1908). Being a Martinsburg native, he would, in 1908, additionally found the Crown Bottling Works in that town (“More Bottling”, 1908).
Berkeley Springs Bottling Company no longer appears by the September 1911 Dun & Bradstreet, though they do in January’s issue; hence, they closed that year.
Mineral Springs Bottling Co.
Information needed.
References
Berkeley Springs news. (1906, May 5). Martinsburg Herald, 5.
More bottling works. (1908, April 18). Martinsburg Herald, 1.
Personal mention. (1908, March 25). Evening Journal, 6.
West Virginia Secretary of State. Business entity details: Berkeley Club Bottling and Manufacturing Company. https://apps.wv.gov/SOS/BusinessEntitySearch/Details.aspx?Id=ePuCdAKHLUwA8fSxS4WcIQ==&Search=y3FwQwGzxS1xJuUlAfXgXA%3d%3d&Page=0
West Virginia Secretary of State. Business entity details: Berkeley Club Ginger Ale Company. https://apps.wv.gov/SOS/BusinessEntitySearch/Details.aspx?Id=fiRvNJOILL/4z+hXPprnLA==&Search=y3FwQwGzxS1xJuUlAfXgXA%3d%3d&Page=0