Original site of the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company

Original site of the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company The Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company, one of the first companies in the nation granted franchise rights for the distribution of Coca-Cola in bottles, opened its doors in a brick building on this site in 1902. J.T. Lupton of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was the primary owner. The initial purchase of syrup from the Coca-Cola Company consisted of 387 gallons of syrup, and bottled Coca-Cola was delivered by a mule-drawn wagon. In 1908, the company bought almost 3,000 gallons of syrup to meet the soda demand, which was growing along with Houston's population. In this location, they had one hand-operated bottling machine with a capacity of 250 cases a day. By 1915, sales of Coca-Cola had increased such that the company moved to larger facilities at 1212 Washington Avenue. In 1918, J.E. Evans became the plant's general manager, and during his tenure Houstonians continued to celebrate the soft drink sensation, prompting the company's continued growth. By 1948, C. Lupton Thomas, general manager, and J.E. Evans, president, developed plans for a new facility at 2800 Bissonnet. Lauded as the world's most modern Coca-Cola plant, the new million-dollar plant opened to the public in June 1950. For more than a century, the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company has provided jobs, as well as refreshment, to the City of Houston and surrounding areas. The company has consistently given back to the city through charity work and project funding. As one of the largest operations of its kind in the world, it continues its commitment to employees, customers and neighbors. (2003)

Original site of the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 2002. It is one of 422 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 849 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7678, -95.3785 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is Trinity Lutheran Cemetery (cemetery), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Stuart, David Finney, M.D., and Anson Jones.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5201012970. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.