First Bottle of Coca Cola

Coca-Cola was first bottled by the Biedenharn Candy Company in Vicksburg Mississippi in 1894. Biedenharn was a customer of the Coca Cola company purchasing syrup and serving the soft drink to customers at his soda fountain. Bottling the coke would help make it available to people who lived in the country and did not have a local soda fountain. 

By bottling coca-cola coke could be sent to more people around the countryside. More people could enjoy it and therefore more sales would be made. Biedenharn's first customers were plantations and lumber camps along the Mississippi River. The president of the coca - cola company was not interested in getting involved in bottlin in the early years as he wanted to stay focused on the soda fountain sales.

In 1899 The president of the coca cola company sold the bottling rights to Benjamin Thomas and Joseph Whitehead. The rights to Coca Cola Bottling company in the U.S. except Vicksburg was sold for one dollar. Later the U.S. was divided into territories where they sold bottling rights to others. In 1909 there were 400 bottling plants (most family owned)

The bottles evolved through the years as well. Our little town had its own bottling company, the town next to us had a bottling company as well. The difference is that the little company in our town disappeared just like the bottles their selves did