Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company Building
historic place
The Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company Building in Waco, Texas, was completed in 1906. Designed in the Romanesque Revival style by architects Milton W. Scott and Glenn Allen, this structure became the first dedicated facility for bottling Dr Pepper. Dr Pepper, America's oldest major soft drink, originated in Waco in 1885. The building initially relied on an artesian well for its water supply, using pipes to move water through the floors for production. This well became impractical by the 1920s due to climate conditions. In 1953, an F5 tornado caused significant damage to the building, leaving a visible scar on its west wall. Bottling operations ceased in 1965. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 26, 1983. It reopened as the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute in 1991. This site is significant for its role in the early large-scale production of Dr Pepper.