Dublin Core
Title
Bethesda Bottles
Subject
Business
Description
The history of Waukesha cannot be told without a mention of Colonel Dunbar and his discovery and promotion of Bethesda Spring. Believing that the waters from the spring cured his diabetes, Dunbar and his wife Catherine formed the company that brought fame to Waukesha.
From 1868 - 1880, the water was sold and shipped in wooden barrels and ceramic demijohns and glass bottles. Dunbar promoted the water as “Dunbar’s Wonderful Discovery.” He died in 1878, and his widow, Catherine, operated the business until 1881.
Catherine sold the business to a group of investors headed by the Hon. Winfield Smith of Milwaukee. The investors hired Alfred (Long) M. Jones of Illinois to manage the business. Jones designed new labels for the bottles, and by 1889 he became president. Jones and his family continued to operate Bethesda until 1920, when it was sold to another group of investors including Walter Hartshorn, J.W. Millroy and R.M. Heath - all men with Waukesha Water business experience.
This group, in turn, sold the business to a Chicago company called Bon Ton. The new company developed new soda water products.
The Bon Ton Company was reorganized in 1979. The new company went through a series of owners until it was closed permanently in 1997. Although it is no longer bottled, the Bethesda Spring is still flowing.
1. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water Bottle C. 1890 - 1910
There are two versions of this bottle displayed. One is a “blob top” style bottle (1850s - 1900), and one has the more familiar “crown top” style, (C.1910). Both labels bear a signature of A. M. Jones as president, indicating that they were created after 1891. If you look carefully, you can see that one label has an image of an angel printed in red ink on tha back of the label. This was used to show the purity of the water, as the angel could be seen through the water.
Note that this label listed the many diseases that Bethesda water could cure.
2. Bethesda Natural Mineral Spring Water c. 1920 - 1930
With the passage of the Federal Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, companies were required to prove any claims made about its products. Thus, the change can be seen on the label on this bottle, which is believed to have been produced under the Miroy/Hartshorn/Heath regime.The list of diseases is gone from the label and replaced with “Natural Mineral Spring Water.” Also removed is the image of an angel on the back of the label. But considering that this water is at least 100 years old, it remains remarkably clear.
3. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water c. 1935 - 1940
When Bon Ton acquired Bethesda, it wanted to feature the famous water. Notice the unique shape of this bottle. In advertising of the time, it was referred to as a “refrigerator bottle,” designed to fit neatly onto a refrigerator shelf. The back is highly embossed with an image of the Bethesda springhouse. The label on the front of the bottle shows an image of the spring, a chemical analysis, and images of the three medals awarded to Bethesda water in 1900, 1904 and 1915. Of course, the angel hovering over the springhouse is also present. Rather than a bottle cap, a “screw” cap was used.
4. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water c. 1960
The bottle shape may have changed, but the label remained the same. This style of bottle was easier to produce, ship and reuse. By this time, the use of bottled water was declining, and is reflected by the less expensive bottle. The water in the bottle remains clear and clean.
5. 1990s Purity Water 1997
In 1967, Bon Ton purchased another Waukesha bottler - Roxo. It then bottled water under the Bethesda/Roxo label. A new corporation was formed in 1979 which purchased Bethesda/ROXO waters, but was operated by the same owners. Purity Bottling of Genesee purchased the company in 1985. It went through a series of out-of-state owners, and although the Waukesha operation was profitable, the parent company closed the plant in 1997. This plastic bottle was an example of one of the final examples of water sold commercially from Bethesda Spring. By this time the label had changed drastically. With the resurgence of bottled water, there has been interest in Bethesda Spring, but at this time it remains private property.
Donor: John Schoenknecht
Adopt an Artifact Sponsor: John Schoenknecht
From 1868 - 1880, the water was sold and shipped in wooden barrels and ceramic demijohns and glass bottles. Dunbar promoted the water as “Dunbar’s Wonderful Discovery.” He died in 1878, and his widow, Catherine, operated the business until 1881.
Catherine sold the business to a group of investors headed by the Hon. Winfield Smith of Milwaukee. The investors hired Alfred (Long) M. Jones of Illinois to manage the business. Jones designed new labels for the bottles, and by 1889 he became president. Jones and his family continued to operate Bethesda until 1920, when it was sold to another group of investors including Walter Hartshorn, J.W. Millroy and R.M. Heath - all men with Waukesha Water business experience.
This group, in turn, sold the business to a Chicago company called Bon Ton. The new company developed new soda water products.
The Bon Ton Company was reorganized in 1979. The new company went through a series of owners until it was closed permanently in 1997. Although it is no longer bottled, the Bethesda Spring is still flowing.
1. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water Bottle C. 1890 - 1910
There are two versions of this bottle displayed. One is a “blob top” style bottle (1850s - 1900), and one has the more familiar “crown top” style, (C.1910). Both labels bear a signature of A. M. Jones as president, indicating that they were created after 1891. If you look carefully, you can see that one label has an image of an angel printed in red ink on tha back of the label. This was used to show the purity of the water, as the angel could be seen through the water.
Note that this label listed the many diseases that Bethesda water could cure.
2. Bethesda Natural Mineral Spring Water c. 1920 - 1930
With the passage of the Federal Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, companies were required to prove any claims made about its products. Thus, the change can be seen on the label on this bottle, which is believed to have been produced under the Miroy/Hartshorn/Heath regime.The list of diseases is gone from the label and replaced with “Natural Mineral Spring Water.” Also removed is the image of an angel on the back of the label. But considering that this water is at least 100 years old, it remains remarkably clear.
3. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water c. 1935 - 1940
When Bon Ton acquired Bethesda, it wanted to feature the famous water. Notice the unique shape of this bottle. In advertising of the time, it was referred to as a “refrigerator bottle,” designed to fit neatly onto a refrigerator shelf. The back is highly embossed with an image of the Bethesda springhouse. The label on the front of the bottle shows an image of the spring, a chemical analysis, and images of the three medals awarded to Bethesda water in 1900, 1904 and 1915. Of course, the angel hovering over the springhouse is also present. Rather than a bottle cap, a “screw” cap was used.
4. Bethesda Mineral Spring Water c. 1960
The bottle shape may have changed, but the label remained the same. This style of bottle was easier to produce, ship and reuse. By this time, the use of bottled water was declining, and is reflected by the less expensive bottle. The water in the bottle remains clear and clean.
5. 1990s Purity Water 1997
In 1967, Bon Ton purchased another Waukesha bottler - Roxo. It then bottled water under the Bethesda/Roxo label. A new corporation was formed in 1979 which purchased Bethesda/ROXO waters, but was operated by the same owners. Purity Bottling of Genesee purchased the company in 1985. It went through a series of out-of-state owners, and although the Waukesha operation was profitable, the parent company closed the plant in 1997. This plastic bottle was an example of one of the final examples of water sold commercially from Bethesda Spring. By this time the label had changed drastically. With the resurgence of bottled water, there has been interest in Bethesda Spring, but at this time it remains private property.
Donor: John Schoenknecht
Adopt an Artifact Sponsor: John Schoenknecht
Creator
Bethesda Mineral Spring
Publisher
Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum
Date
1868-1997
Rights
Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum