Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Company
Dublin, Erath County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Sam Houston Prim (1863-1946) arrived in Dublin in 1891 with $680 worth of bottling equiment, purchasing property at the southeast corner of Patrick and Elm streets to house his bottling works. Prim bottled Dr Pepper, along with other products, under an informal agreement until 1925, when he formally chose as a Dr Pepper distribution territory a 44-mile radius centered on Dublin -- an area that remains as the company's territory today. At the time of Prim's death, Dr Pepper executives noted that he had bottled the soft drink longer than any other individual. The company has remained in operation since that time, making it the oldest Dr Pepper bottler in the world. (2009)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1891 Sam Houston Prim arrived in Dublin with $680 of bottling equipment and set up shop at Patrick and Elm streets. He began bottling Dr Pepper and, in 1925, formally claimed a 44-mile distribution territory centered on the town. According to the marker, Prim had bottled the drink longer than any other person by the time of his death in 1946, and his works is recognized as the oldest Dr Pepper bottler in the world.
Why it matters
The Dublin bottling works tells the small-town story behind one of America's iconic soft drinks, showing how a local entrepreneur's franchise helped build a national brand.
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Related people
- · Sam Houston Prim
Themes & tags
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