Coca-Cola Christmases recalled fondly by older Urbanna folks

by Larry Chowning – 

The Coca-Cola bottle that was bottled between 1923-1937 at the Urbanna Coca-Cola Bottling Plant was a reminder that the Christmas spirit was year-around.

The bottling plant in town operated from 1921 until 1963. During the years between 1923 and 1937, E.W. Chappell Jr. bottled Coca-Cola in what is today universally called the “Christmas Coca-Cola bottle.”

The Christmas Coke bottle was patented Dec. 25, 1923 and “Trademark Registered Bottle Pat. Dec. 25, 1923” is embossed on the side of the bottle. If you are lucky, you’ve got one with “Urbanna” embossed on the bottom.

For those who grew-up in Urbanna in the 1950s and 60s, the Christmas season came with a special wrapping as merchants filled their windows with Christmas displays.

When Christmas neared, youngsters waited with excitement to see what display employees at the Coke plant would come up with. One of the most memorable window displays was in 1957 when the corporate office provided a cardboard cutout of Santa holding a bottled Coke atop Sputnik, the first satellite to go into space on Oct. 4, 1957.

Some bottling plant history:

• 1921 — After buying a Coca-Cola franchise from Coca-Cola Company of Chattanooga, Edward W. Chappell Jr. came to Urbanna to sell and bottle Coke for Middlesex and six surrounding counties. The business started in Urbanna in the basement of what is today Fashion Exchange (old Liz’s Dress Shop) on Cross Street.
• 1923 — Chappell built a new Coca-Cola Bottling plant building on Virginia Street across from what was Carl and Pearl Tomlinson’s home, today a vacant lot owned by Isabell K. Horsley and called the “Town Green.” The old Coke building is still standing today and houses Bubba’s Shrimp Shack, ReSail Boutique and Riverhouse Creations.
• 1941 — Fourth annual Urbanna Labor Day Boat Regatta Program had on the back cover “Pause and Refresh Drink Coca-Cola Bottled in Urbanna by Richmond Coca-Cola Bottling Works Inc., Urbanna, Virginia.” The name had obviously changed.
• Nov. 22, 1944 — E.W. Chappell died. Controlling interest was then purchased by Walter Lee Sams who had a summer home between Remlik and Urbanna and was owner of several other regional plants.
• 1947 — A new brick bottling plant was built across from Lansdowne on Virginia Street and today houses the Chesapeake Inn and Half Shell Grill.
• 1951 — Charles A. (Shorty) Long was transferred to manage the Urbanna plant. He was the second manager of the new plant.
• 1953 — Long wrote to J. Roland Rooke of James E. Crass Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in Richmond, “Our Christmas Party was conducted at the Urbanna Lodge with a turkey dinner and all the trimmings. We enjoyed very much a fine dinner, Christmas Tree and presents, service pine ceremony, bingo and exchange of gifts among employees.”
• 1955 — Employees posed for a photo at the plant’s annual Christmas party. They were Shorty Long, Robert Hall, Junnie Knapp, Ray Burch, Dan Davis, Archie Miller and Punch Pannel.
• Nov. 16, 1963 — The Urbanna Coca-Cola Bottling Works closed as part of consolidation of plants and Long was transferred to a plant in Bowie, Md.
• 1969 — The Coca-Cola plant building was used for storage until it was refurbished and opened in that year as the Vacationer, a restaurant and motel.

* Information provided by Eva Anne Long Graham, daughter of the late Shorty Long; from “Family Histories — Middlesex County, Va.” on “The Chappell Family” by Rebecca Chappell Jones, daughter of the late E.W. Chappell Jr.; and Arthur Carver of Lottsburg, former owner of the Montross Coca-Cola Bottling Plant.