Charleston Bottling Works
Charleston Bottling Works is synonymous with Henry Rummel. Though his earliest bottles are not embossed as such—instead bearing some version of his name—the bottling operation itself always was Charleston Bottling Works. This was the case for three or so decades, until they began bottling Coca-Cola, at which point Charleston Bottling Works became the Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
Charleston Bottling Works circa 1913. Henry Rummel is the man in the center. Notice what that they are bottlers of Coca-Cola and mineral waters, and the crates of what would be straight-sided Coca-Cola bottles.
Henry Rummel
Henry Rummel was born in Meigs County, Ohio on July 27, 1847 the son of a German immigrant. Rummel learned the bottling trade in Pomeroy, Ohio before moving to Charleston to start his own operation in 1871. His first plant was downtown, currently where the Federal Courthouse is, then moving to a plot by the Elk River. By 1874-1875, he had moved his plant to West Charleston while selling sarsaparilla and mineral water (J.S. Sheppard & Co., 1875). In 1876 he moved again to Capitol Street, then again in 1881 to Summers Street (Laidley, 1911).
I suppose Rummel was a bit antsy, as he continued to move around Charleston. In 1899, he was at 14 Summers Street (R.L. Polk & Co., 1899) and 307 Kanawha Street in 1905 (R.L. Polk & Co., 1905). Oddly enough, the 1905 West Virginia Gazetteer and Business Directory has S.T. Ford (shortly after, of Raleigh Bottling Works) as the president and R.K. Ford as the secretary of Charleston Bottling Works at this time, so I presumed that Rummel was just manager at this point. It has Rummel listed separately, though at 114 Summit Drive, which was and is residential, so this was his house address.
The Laidley (1911) book notes that Summers Street was his present location at the time of writing, so I am presuming the address of 119 Summers Street in 1907 is the one referenced (R.L. Polk & Co., 1907). But in 1909, Charleston Bottling Works—with Henry Rummel as manager—again has moved to 909 Capitol Street (R.L. Polk & Co., 1909).
A squat soda bottle example w/ "A. & D.H. Co." on the back. Front.
A squat soda bottle example w/ "A. & D.H. Co." on the back. Reverse.
A squat soda bottle example w/o "A. & D.H. Co." on the back. Front.
A squat soda bottle example w/o "A. & D.H. Co." on the back. Reverse.
A hutchinson-style example with his full name. Hutchbook ID: WV0039.5.
A hutch with an abbreviated first name and only two lines of embossing. Slightly taller. Hutchbook ID: WV0036.5.
A hutch with an abbreviated first name and large lettering. "D.O.C. 19" on rear heel. Hutchbook ID: WV0037.
A hutch with an abbreviated first name and large lettering. "D.O.C." on rear heel. Hutchbook ID: WV0037.5.
A Charleston Bottling Works hutch in green aqua. Hutchbook ID: WV0022.
A Charleston Bottling Works hutch in a lighter aqua green. Hutchbook ID: WV0023.
Charleston Bottling Works hutch in a tealish green. Hutchbook ID: WV0025.
Charleston Bottling Works hutch in a tealish green w/ "A.B.Co." Hutchbook ID: WV0025.5.
A Charleston Bottling Works hutch with a circle slug plate indention. Hutchbook ID: WV0026.
Charleston Coca-Cola Bottling Works/Co.
Early, crude Charleston amber heel script Coca-Cola.
Dark amber Charleston heel script Coca-Cola. Crude.
Charleston dark amber heel script Coca-Cola.
Honey amber Charleston heel script Coca-Cola.
Clear Coca-Cola heel script.
Aqua blue Coca-Cola heel script. Crude.
Light aqua green Coca-Cola heel script. Crude.
Aqua blue Coca-Cola heel script.
Aqua green O.B.CO. Coca-Cola heel script.
Aqua Coca-Cola heel script with 6 1/2 ounce capacity line on reverse.
Charleston Bottling Works Coca-Cola. Shoulder script. Aqua blue. ABM.
Charleston Bottling Works Coca-Cola. Shoulder script. Aqua green. ABM.
Charleston Bottling Works Coca-Cola. Shoulder script. Light aqua green. ABM.
Charleston Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Shoulder script. Aqua green. ABM.
Charleston Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Shoulder script. Aqua blue. ABM.
Charleston Bottling Works C.C. Soda.
Charleston Coca-Cola Bottling Co. C.C. Soda.
References
Laidley, W.S. (1911). History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and representative citizens. Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company.
R.L. Polk & Co. (1899). West Virginia Gazetteer and Business Directory.
R.L. Polk & Co. (1905). West Virginia Gazetteer and Business Directory.
R.L. Polk & Co. (1907). R.L. Polk & Co’s Charleston Directory 1907, Volume V.
R.L. Polk & Co. (1909). R.L. Polk & Co’s Charleston Directory 1909.
J.S. Sheppard & Co. (1875). Sheppard’s Charleston, W.VA. City Directory 1874-5. Volume I.