Page 38 - 2019junejuly

You Know You're Old When...

by Rose-Mary Rumbley

ou know you're old when you can remember seeing a
SODA JERK at a Soda Fountain! Now, you Boomers
Yprobably do not know what I'm taking about, unless Now, he owned a drug store and a
you happened to frequent the Highland Park Pharmacy on Knox pharmacist, Charles Alterton, who was working for Morrison
Street. There was always a soda fountain there, but it's gone now. created a drink that everyone craved! It was truly special. Many,
The building was torn down. It's called progress! many people came in for this special drink. R. H. Lazenby tasted
it and decided he would bottle it in Dallas.
I just recently read that writer Jack Kerouac, singer Patsy Cline,
and artist Andy Warhol all worked as "soda jerks." The name "What will you name this great drink?" Morrison was asked.
developed with the soda. The spigot of carbonated water had Former Soda Jerk, Wade Morrison, said, "I'll name it after the
to be "jerked" in a certain manner to make the soda fizz. Soda doctor who threw me out of Virginia, Dr. Charles T. Pepper!"
fountains blossomed in the 1930s and 1940s, but they were a This story cannot be proven! But as I always say, "Don't let the
thing of the past by the late 1950s. truth interfere with a great story!"
The most famous Soda Jerk in the world was Wade Morrison, The next time you're in Waco, don't stop with Chip and Jo, the
who came to Waco, Texas, from Virginia in 1885 and bought the Fixer Uppers. Be sure to visit the Dr. Pepper Museum. It opened
Old Corner Drug Store. He was in love with a Doctor's daughter in 1904 in Waco and the fine displays will tell you all of the great
in Virginia and the doctor didn't think he was worthy of a doctor's stories about Texas' favorite drink, Dr. Pepper.
daughter. After all he was a Soda Jerk. The doctor suggested
he leave!

The History of The Dr Pepper Museum

he Dr Pepper Museum & Free Enterprise Institute opened to An exhibit about the life of W.W.
the public in May 1991 and has hosted over 1,700,000 visitors. Clements and his philosophy of life,
TIt is located in Waco, Texas and is the home of the Nation’s free enterprise, and business ethics
oldest major soft drink. opened in 2008 on the third floor of
The Museum is housed in the 1906 Artesian Manufacturing and the Museum.
Bottling Company building located in downtown Waco. The 100 year- The Museum employs a staff of museum professionals and educators
old building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as the that work with the Board of Directors to fulfill the Museum’s mission.
“Home of Dr Pepper.” The Museum receives the support of Keurig Dr The Museum has an annual operating budget of approximately
Pepper and its affiliated bottlers but is not owned or operated by them. $500,000 that it derives from contributions, memberships, admissions,
Located at the corner of Fifth Street and Mary Avenue in the turn of and the sale of merchandise through its for profit subsidiary, DP
the century manufacturing district, the vacant bottling plant was in a Museum Enterprises.
sad state of repair in a neighborhood comprised mostly of abandoned History of Dr Pepper Museum
warehouses that was officially declared as “blighted” by the City. The The Museum has received contributions from Keurig Dr Pepper, the
Waco Chamber of Commerce and the City of Waco hoped that the Coca Cola Company, Coca Cola Enterprises, Big Red Corporation,
Museum would be a catalyst for renewed energy and growth in the and numerous independent soft drink bottlers. We are recognized
area, with the potential for restaurants and shops in the old warehouses as the only nonprofit museum in the country dedicated to the entire
down the street similar to the “West End” district in Dallas. soft drink industry. At the time it opened to the public, the Museum’s
Dr Pepper Museum Downtown Waco collection of artifacts totaled approximately 1,600. Today that
Dr Pepper Company donated the historic building to the nonprofit collection includes over 300,000 artifacts.
organization in 1988. Renovation began in the summer of 1990. The In 2007, the Museum completed a new collections and archives
building formally opened to the public on May 11, 1991. At that storage center in the historic Kellum-Rotan Building, which we refer
time, only a small portion of the ground level was open to the public. to as the East Wing Building. This has paved the way for the growth
During the next six years, the Museum embarked on three additional and consolidation of our collections and archives in one space. Our
construction phases until the entire building was restored and opened collection is now one of the largest and best in the world. In 2008,
in May 1997. the façade of the Kellum–Rotan Building was completely restored.
The Museum is home to the W. W. Clements Free Enterprise Institute. New administrative offices, education center, and board room were
The Institute was created in 1997 for the purpose of educating school complete in 2011. In May of 2016 the East Wing Building opened
children as well as adults about the economic system that underlies to the public with new gift shop and soda fountain spaces and the
American life. The program uses the soft drink industry as a model to Emerson Holt – Ted Getterman Exhibit Gallery.
teach students about developing, producing, and marketing products.

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