Valley Bell Dairy Company
1921—1987
Valley Bell Dairy Company formed as a merger between Tip Top Dairy and the Lewis Brothers’ dairy (Valley Bell Dairy Co., 1921). West Virginia Secretary of State records show the company formally organized on June 10, 1921. Its first dairy plant, a brick building that costed $75,000 to construct ($1.3 million, inflation adjusted), was located on Roane Street near Delaware Avenue (“New Dairy”, 1921). Its address is later identified as 508 Roane Street (“Two Holdups”, 1932). At this same time, they had a store at 1218 Washington Street East.
The West Virginia Secretary of State records show that this company dissolved in 1987, forming a merger between all of its branch companies.
Valley Bell, by far, has the greatest number of pyro variants out of any other West Virginia dairy company. I cannot be sure as to why they invested so much in having a wide variety of bottles.
Likely the earliest Valley Bell design. Circle slug plate. Front.
A pint-sized mold with a ribbed neck and large bell.
A later embossed variant with a large bell and script text. "V" over a bell on the back shoulder. Front.
A later embossed variant with a large bell and script text. "V" over a bell on the back shoulder. Back.
An orange-red pyro quart with a "king baby" ad on the back. Front.
An orange-red pyro quart with a "king baby" ad on the back. Back.
Round, blue and red pyro quart. George Washington on back. Front.
Round, blue and red pyro quart. George Washington on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. George Washington on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. George Washington on back. Back.
Round, blue and red pyro quart. Uncle Sam on back. Front.
Round, blue and red pyro quart. Uncle Sam on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. Uncle Sam on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. Uncle Sam on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. War bonds ad on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. War bonds ad on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. War bonds ad on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. War bonds ad on back. Back.
Presumably an earlier pyro quart w/o phone number. Sane driving graphic. Front.
Presumably an earlier pyro quart w/o phone number. Sane driving graphic. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. "Sofkurd" ad on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. "Sofkurd" ad on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. Boxing boy on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. Boxing boy on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. Conversation with neighbor on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. Conversation with neighbor on back. Back.
Round, red pyro quart. "Sofkurd" wreath ad on back. Front.
Round, red pyro quart. "Sofkurd" wreath ad on back. Back.
"Worry worry" milk bottle return ad on back. Pint-sized. Front.
"Worry worry" milk bottle return ad on back. Pint-sized. Back.
Ice cream ad on back. Half-pint-sized. Front.
Ice cream ad on back. Half-pint-sized. Back.
A squatty, round, orange pyro quart. 3¢ deposit. Front.
A squatty, round, orange pyro quart. 3¢ deposit. Back.
A square, red pyro quart with bells around the neck. Ice cream ad on back. Front.
A square, red pyro quart with bells around the neck. Ice cream ad on back. Back.
A square, red pyro quart with bells around the neck. "Butterflake" buttermilk ad on back. Front.
A square, red pyro quart with bells around the neck. "Butterflake" buttermilk ad on back. Back.
Amber glass, white pyro quart. Front.
Amber glass, white pyro quart. Back.
An orange pyro, square half-pint. Front.
An orange pyro, square half-pint. Back.
Square, red pyro gallon. Front.
Square, red pyro gallon. Back.
Square, red pyro half-gallon. Front.
Square, red pyro half-gallon. Back.
A Valley Bell pepper shaker w/ screw cap seat and red pyro. Ice cream ad on back. Front.
A Valley Bell pepper shaker w/ screw cap seat and red pyro. Ice cream ad on back. Back.
A red pyro baby bottle. Left.
A red pyro baby bottle. Front.
A red pyro baby bottle. Right.
A red pyro creamer jar. "Laboratory Controlled Products." Front.
A red pyro creamer jar. "Laboratory Controlled Products." Back.
A red pyro creamer jar. "Quality Chek'd." Front.
A red pyro creamer jar. "Quality Chek'd." Back.
References
New dairy plant to be opened here this week. (1922, June 4). The Charleston Daily Mail, 21.
Two holdups occur in city. (1932, June 26). The Charleston Daily Mail, 1.
Valley Bell Dairy Company. (1921, September 4). The cow—Valley Bell—you [advertisement]. Charleston Daily Mail, 38.
Valley Bell Dairy Company. (1931, July 1). Announcement [advertisement]. Charleston Daily Mail, 7.
West Virginia Secretary of State (2025). Business entity details: Valley Bell Dairy Company. https://apps.wv.gov/SOS/BusinessEntitySearch/Details.aspx?Id=v2nR1CxAQKfVoyuJWJUlJw==&Search=Ma9njWKM0mXwkogvKiQGWA%3d%3d&Page=0