The Coca-Cola Bottle

Many have no idea that the first Coca-Cola bottle was made in Terre Haute, Indiana. A man named Chapman J. Root opened a glass company in Terre Haute in 1901 called Root Glass Works which used to stand on the northeast corner of 3rd and Voorhees Street. It was here that he chose the Coca-Cola bottle design out of 11 other choices. The infamous Coca-Cola bottle design that was chosen was constructed to resemble a Cocoa tree pod.

Coca-Cola continued to play a major role in the Root family business which is now called Root Organization. Along with their huge contribution to the Coca-Cola business, the Root family also donated $1.5 million for the construction of Root Hall, an office building and classroom which still stands at Indiana State University. Although Chapman passed in 1945, a bottling plant of the Root Glass Company is still standing in Terre Haute today at 924 Lafayette Ave.