# Chero-Cola Research



## bottlenutboy (Apr 15, 2007)

Ok, I finally talked myself into it! I have decided to take on a great undertaking what i am going to do is attempt to recreate the porters book except for Chero Colas instead of Coca Cola so what i need all of you to do is go get all of the cheros you can find (script, angled block logo's and embossed twist bottles) and post them so i can list them in my "book in the making" so far from tonights research im up to 48

 Thanks alot for your time and effort!


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## quarrylizard (Apr 15, 2007)

From left to right ,chattanooga,chattanooga ,middlesboro ky.,dawson ga,columbus ga..........


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## capsoda (Apr 15, 2007)

Keep this thread alive and I will post some including a blown tooled top.


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## Tony14 (Apr 15, 2007)

Great idea Spence, I dont have any but i will keep a look out for ya!


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 16, 2007)

thanks alot guys! keep this in mind when you see chero's


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

bump for warren who graciously said he would post some for me!


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## huffmnd (Apr 18, 2007)

I just posted a link to a Knoxville Tennessee Chero Cola bottle. Under buy sell and swat. Here is the link maybe this will help.
http://cgi.ebay.com/KNOXVILLE-TENNESSEE-CHERO-COLA_W0QQitemZ200100025270QQihZ010QQcategoryZ13915QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

thanks huffmnd, i have gotten most of my chero listings off of ebay including that one a couple days ago, thanks for trying to help! keep me in mind if you have some or see any more!


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## whiskeyman (Apr 18, 2007)

L-r
 Chero Cola/Bristol, Va- Tenn bluish aqua
 Chero Cola /Soda Water, Bristol, Va.
 Chero Cola/Bristol,  Va-Tenn, clear


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

are those labels original? or were they added later? nice ones!


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## whiskeyman (Apr 18, 2007)

hmmmmmm....lemme see....

 How should I answer that ? [&:]

 They are original labels....added by someone else about 60-odd  years later...[]

 Purchased from Vernon Capps at the Columbia SC Bottle Show...
 (Vernon is  deceased now...Great guy to know)....and reminisce about.


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

so that would be a not exactly ? lol   they look nice no matter when the labels were added


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## HunterGatherer (Apr 18, 2007)

Do you want to take it into the Nehi age?


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

nah there are already too many cheros so it will be too much to tackle to go into nehi and rc too im cutting out soda waters too only the cheros


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## morbious_fod (Apr 18, 2007)

*I didn't know they bottled in Bristol. Man you learn something everyday. Great bottles.*


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## capsoda (Apr 18, 2007)

Ok Spencer, Here is the oldest Chero from Pensacola FL. The swirly script bottle.


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## capsoda (Apr 18, 2007)

The block letter blue aqua Chero Cola.


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## capsoda (Apr 18, 2007)

The block letter green aqua Chero Cola.


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 18, 2007)

color? capacity? town names? i need all the details so i can list them


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## capsoda (Apr 18, 2007)

The swirl bottles. One says CherO And one says Chero Cola. There is another swirl bottle from Pensacola That says Chero instead of CherO. It is rare and I don't have one yet. There is also suposed to be another script bottle too but I have never seen that one.


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 19, 2007)

are all of those from pensacola? what are the capacities?


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## Tony14 (Apr 19, 2007)

It looks like its definately coming along Spence! Keep us updated on progress.


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## logueb (Apr 19, 2007)

Spence, I should have some pics for you in a couple of days. There's an interesting fact about Chero Cola that I will try to locate the source.  Supposedly, Chero Cola plants were placed in-between Coke plants to squeeze the competition. Here is the location of such a plant that I found on the Sanborn Maps.  Thanks again for the link.


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 19, 2007)

so far im up to 61 towns... many different variations of most towns consisting of different colors, capacities, lettering, and styles


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## whiskeyman (Apr 20, 2007)

SPENCER...have yet to locate/see a bottle, but I recently dug a @1936  ACL Royal Crown and on the back it noted:
*Bottled by The Kingsport Chero Cola Bottling Works...Kingsport, Tenn...*


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## whiskeyman (Apr 20, 2007)

MORBIUS...You maybe oughta check out my website...The Cheros are pictured there.
 I also have other bottles from SW VA and NE TN pictured...and a few Abingdon items.
 Take a look...No pop ups or spam, cause I pay to keep those off...It's worth it too....(dratted pop-ups)[]


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## logueb (Apr 20, 2007)

Spencer,  I rounded up a few.  Not sure if this is all, but I will keep looking.  Also I know where the dump for that Chero Cola plant in the earlier post is.  I'll check the broken ones for other towns.


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## logueb (Apr 20, 2007)

Amethyst, 7 oz. Script: Savannah, Ga.   Macon, Ga.

 Amethyst, 7 oz. Block Letters. Louisville, Ga.


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## logueb (Apr 20, 2007)

Aqua, 6 1/2 oz. Block Letters:

 Waynesboro, Ga.
 Augusta, Ga.
 Columbus, Ga.
 Generic with no Town name.


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## logueb (Apr 20, 2007)

More 6 1/2 oz Block Letters.

 Hattiesburg , Miss.
 Wadley, Ga.
 Tennille, Ga.


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## logueb (Apr 20, 2007)

Chero Cola Swirls:

 Dothan , Ala.
 Chero A Perfect Soda, ( Duraglas, no city)


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## logueb (Apr 23, 2007)

Spencer, Any updates on the Chero Cola research? [8|] Haven't had any time lately to look for different towns.  Keep us posted.


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## muddyfingers (Apr 26, 2007)

Well you have your work cut out for you I just looked in one of my books on Georgia bottles, and unfortunately there were around 60+/- Chero bottling plants in Georgia alone. And Chero Bottles documented from all except 1. Good Luck!

 I have a Perry, Fla 6 1/2 ounce slant script block letter in aqua, Cordele, Ga 6 1/2 ounce slant script block letter in aqua, Pensacola, Fla 7 ounce slant script block letter in aqua, Fort Wayne, IN 7 ounce slant script block letter in aqua. those are the few I have out right now as soon as I get a chance I will post photos and dig out a few more. Once again good luck. 

 If you need a reference from this book let me know and I will do my best to help.
                                                                                                                 Willy


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## bikegoon (Apr 27, 2007)

The Chero-Cola and the elusive Dayton and Cincii beers are high on my list of bottles I want to dig!


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## muddyfingers (Apr 29, 2007)

I was poking through some photos and found this Perry, Florida 6 1/2 ounce slant script. It has a lip chip, but its a pretty tough one to find.

 More pics coming soon! 
                                                                   Willy


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## BARQS19 (May 1, 2007)

Contact Mike Elling at cheromike@citlink.net He is the biggest Nehi/RC/Chero collector and historian that I know. He has a HUGE collection and vast knowledge of this subject, he's written many articles on this too. He's from some where up in TN.
 Robert
 BARQS19


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## bottlenutboy (Jul 20, 2007)

first off i would like to thank everyone for their time and help, and i would also like to bump this post so that i can see some more that arent on my list yet, here's what i have so far:
*
 ALABAMA*
 Andalusia
 Birmingham
 Dora
 Dothan
 Mobile 
 Montgomery
 Selma
 Troy
*
 ARKANSAS* 

 Dermott
*
 District of Columbia* 

 Washington*

 FLORIDA* 

 Bradentown
 Chipley
 Defuniak Springs
 Jacksonville
 jasper
 Lakeland
 Live Oak
 Malone
 Mariana|
 Miami
 New Berry
 Ocala
 Orlando
 Palatka
 Panama City
 Pensacola
 Perry
 Sanford
 St. Petersburg
 Tallahasee
 Tampa
*
 GEORGIA*

 Albany
 Americus
 Athens
 Atlanta
 Augusta
 Blakely
 Camilla
 Columbus
 Cordele
 Covington
 Cuthbert
 Dawson
 Douglas
 Dublin
 Fitzgerald
 Jeffersonville
 Louisville
 Macon
 Madison
 Millen
 Montezuma
 Rome
 Savannah
 Sparta
 Sylvester
 Tennille
 Thomasville
 Vidalia
 Wadely
 Waycross
*
 INDIANA*

 Ft. Wayne
 Tell City
*
 KENTUCKY*

 Middlesboro*

 LOUISIANA**
*
 New Orleans

*MICHIGAN*

 Cassopolis*

 MISSISSIPPI*

 Hattiesburg

*NORTH CAROLINA*

 Greenville
 Lexington
 Monroe
 North Wilkesboro*

 OHIO*

 Benevue
 Wapakoneta
 Youngstown*

 PENNSYLVANIA*

 Bethlehem
*
 SOUTH CAROLINA*

 Charleston
 Columbia
 Florence
 Seneca
 Spartanburg
 Sumter
*
 TENNESEE* 

 Chattanooga
 Columbia
 Harriman
 Jackson
 Knoxville
 Memphis
 Ripley
*
 VIRGINIA*

 Bristol


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## bottlenutboy (Jul 29, 2007)

the above list is pretty well up to date,i think there are a couple others that i have gotten since then, 

*does anyone have any that arent on that list?*


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## wvhillbilly (Jul 29, 2007)

I know you said no soda waters but Ill put this on here before I end up getting rid of it them you deciding youll add soda waters[]
 Itll also add a bottling plant. Light aqua-blue color, 6 oz from Keyser, W.VA.


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## OsiaBoyce (Jul 31, 2007)

I don't have any I can get to at this second for a pic but I do know the S.C. towns where they were bottled,and they are. Anderson-Barnwell-Charleston-Columbia-Easly-Edgefield [these are hard to find only seen one of these]-Florence-Georgetown-Greenville-Greenwood-Greer-Hampton-Kingstree-Marion-Newberry-Orangeburg-Spartanburg-Sumter and Union


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## bottlenutboy (Aug 1, 2007)

sounds good, ill add them when you post pics, im sure you understand, i cant base my book on hear say, i need proof for it to be reliable[8|]


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## madman (Aug 1, 2007)

hey spence all i got is seneca and knoxville , ill keep my eyes posted mike


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## bottlenutboy (Aug 2, 2007)

im noting all kinds of differences, so POST EM' IF YOU'VE GOT EM'!


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## cowseatmaize (Aug 2, 2007)

Just for kicks I thought I'd make a note of all the plants in the 1925 Bottlers Encyclopedia. Well, This is what I got for Alabama alone. I'm not sure I can finish or maybe I'll just do a state at a time.
 Here ya go.

 ALABAMA 
 Alexander City, Andalusia, Anniston, Birmingham, Carbon Hill, Clanton, Cullman, Decatur, Dora, Dotham, Enterprise, Eufaula, Florence, Gadsden, Haylyville, Huntsville, Jones Mills, Lineville, Mobile, Montgomery, Opelica, Ozark, Roanoke, Selma, Talladega, Troy, Tuscaloosa 
 May not be as bad as I thought. Arizona has none listed.


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## cowseatmaize (Aug 2, 2007)

ARKANSAS
 Dermott, Fort Smith, Newport, Pine Bluff.
 CALIFORNIA None
 OK so shoot me. I guess it's a southern regional thing. That might explain why I don't see them. I'll try and just list what I find.


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## cowseatmaize (Aug 2, 2007)

WASHINGTON DC 
 Yup

 FLORIDA
 Chipley, Daytona, DeFiniak Springs, Marianna, Miami, Ocala, Orlando, Palatka, Pensacola, Sanford, Tallahassee.

 GEORGIA
 Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Bainbridge, Blakely, Brunswick, Cairo, Carrollton, Cartersville, Columbus, Cordele, Cuthbert, Dalton, Dawson, Donaldsonville, Douglas, Elberton, Fitzgerald, Greensboro, LaGrange, Macon, Manchester, McRae, Millen, Montezuma, Moultrie, Richland, Rome, Savannah, Swainsboro, Tennile, Thomaston, Thomasville, Thomson, Tiften, Toccoa, Valdosta, Vidlia, Waycross, Waynsboro, West Point.

 Time for a break but nothing in Idaho. I'm doubting these are all city embossed. Maybe some are distributers?


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## bottlenutboy (Aug 2, 2007)

most of those did have bottles, because ive seen them and chero cola is generally a southern thing, but ive seen a few from ohio which is a northeastern state

 thanks for the info, keep it coming, and i will add them as i see bottles,[]


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## madman (Aug 3, 2007)

hey spence , im new to the south and new to chero cola  so far ive found these two, heres the pix from the earlyier post,  great topic bro! keep it going, as i find more ill post them here mike


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## madman (Aug 3, 2007)

the knoxville bottle is early machine made,and is very light green, the seneca is dark green mike


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## bottlenutboy (Aug 3, 2007)

thanks mike!, i didnt have them listed in green, i added them, keep them coming!

 AND AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE, I MAY HAVE THE TOWN LISTED, BUT THAT DOESNT MEAN THAT I HAVE DIFFERENCES LISTED SO POST THEM EVEN IF THEY ARE ALREADY ON THE LIST.[]


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## madman (Aug 4, 2007)




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## madman (Aug 4, 2007)




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## morbious_fod (Aug 17, 2007)

I have been researching local bottling companies, and have come across a couple from this area. First there is the one in Appalachia, VA, in Wise County, that was operational in 1922 according to the Sanborn maps. There was also one located in Coeburn, VA, in Wise County, that was operational in the same year. The Nehi bottling company of Bluefield didnâ€™t start untill the 1930â€™s so that one is a dead end for Chero-Cola. I donâ€™t have bottles for these two. 

 I do have one more town for you, and this time I have a bottle, Winston Salem NC. It is the block letter version and has 20N on the heel.







 I grabbed this today for five bucks on impulse. It is a very pretty bottle.


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## craigc90 (Aug 18, 2007)

Spencer
      I dont know if you have any pictures of this one its a Clay City in a light green Chero Cola Zanesville Ohio


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## craigc90 (Aug 18, 2007)

one more


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## capsoda (Aug 18, 2007)

Hey Craig, That has got to be rare. I have never seen a Chero Cola bottle with block letter embossing. Very cool.


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## craigc90 (Aug 18, 2007)

Thanks Warren  I had it in my box of stuff that is going on e-bay this winter. I will have to post a picture of all my sodas that are on the chopping block.


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## capsoda (Aug 18, 2007)

Man, I bet Spencer would love to get his hands on that one. Chero Cola has always been over looked by collectors and there is still alot of signage and ephemera out there as well as bottles and go-withs. Let us know when it goes up on ebay. I guess I should get spencer the history on the Chero Cola bottler from Pensacola.


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## carling (Aug 21, 2007)

Spencer,

 Here is a swirled 6 oz Chero marked Cleveland, O, not on your list for Ohio.  Bottom says Patent Pending with a B above those words, and a 3 below those words.

 Rick


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## carling (Aug 21, 2007)

on the backside near the bottom...


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## morbious_fod (Aug 22, 2007)

I made a discovery yesterday. In a picture of Pocahontas, VA in 1922, I found that one of my mysterious bottling companies was a Chero-Cola. It looks to be the same company that bottled my Good Grape; however, I don't have a Chero-Cola bottle from there. 

 So add Pocahontas, VA to your list, when I find a bottle I will send you a picture.


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## cowseatmaize (Aug 22, 2007)

1925 thing cont.
 ILLINOIS
 Carmi, Danville
 INDIANA
 Brazil, Connersville, Evensville, Flora, Greenfield, Osgood, Seymour, Terra Haute, Vincennes
 IOWA & Kansas
 Nope


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## morbious_fod (Aug 25, 2007)

While browsing the antique shops today I wound up finding a Chero-Cola from Johnson City Tenn. I would have bought it so I could get you a picture; however, there was this huge J shaped crack in the side of it. 

 So theres Johnson City, Tenn.


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## bottlenutboy (Aug 25, 2007)

i added it, but im going to need more bottle information, and if its real cheap it might be ok to have it just for filler


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## cobaltbot (Sep 12, 2007)

Spence, hereâ€™s some info from the Baltimore book: 

 CHERO-COLA on front. BALTIMORE, MD at heel on back â€“ 6 oz. 12 swirls around bottle clear ABM

 CHERO COLA BOTTLING CO. in arc over crown / BALTIMORE, MD. / C. EDWARD MAY / PROPâ€™R â€“ 6 Â½ oz. clear ABM

 Also a large one:

 CHERO-COLA BOTTLING CO. in arc over figure of crown / BALTIMORE, MD in reverse arc / C.EDWARD MAY / PROPâ€™R in reverse arc CONTENTS 1 PINT 8 FLUID OZ. at heel â€“ aqua ABM


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## jagee44 (Sep 12, 2007)

Can you post the list of all the ones you have again.


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## bottlenutboy (Sep 12, 2007)

unfortunately i cannot, the information is on my laptop, which i cannot use right now because the battery will not charge, i cannot edit any of my information as of yet either, because my laptop is down, the computer im using isnt mine, it is my parents and none of my information is on this one...


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## Tony14 (Sep 12, 2007)

geeze spence first the camera then the labtop!! You dont seem to have such great luck with electronics[][][]


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## bottlenutboy (Sep 12, 2007)

yeah...the camera is still busted....you can get a few good pictures but thats it...after the first few you cant get a single good picture, they all have either blue lines, or pink dots all over them


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## alabasterbottle (Sep 12, 2007)

Hello from Alabaster, AL.. Add Calera, AL( about 5 miles south of me) to your Alabama list..
 I'll post a picture soon..
 Tom


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## bottlenutboy (Sep 13, 2007)

thanks alot man, ill add it as soon as i can


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## karenandgordonmyers (Sep 14, 2007)

i've never seen a chero up here!


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## alabasterbottle (Sep 14, 2007)

Spencer,
 Chero-Cola from Calera, AL Picture 1
 I sent the full size pic to your yahoo address from your web site.

 Tom


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## alabasterbottle (Sep 14, 2007)

Close up of City..

 Tom


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## jejbottles (Sep 14, 2007)

There are a few Chero Cola bottles from Virginia that I noticed were not on your list.  I will try to get pictures as I dig the bottles out of storage.  There are 3 varieties from Coeburn, VA - straight-side style, diamond pattern style, and swirl pattern.  These 3 varieties also exist from Appalachia, VA.  I have the three varieties from Appalachia, however I don't have the Coeburn ones, but I know a fellow collector that has them.  Hope this info. helps, I will try to post pictures as soon as I get a chance.


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## bottlenutboy (Sep 16, 2007)

thanks alot, ill go check my emails, and see the other picture, 

 also thank you jejbottles, i appreciate any information you or anyone else can dig up for me, (pun intended)


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## cowseatmaize (Sep 17, 2007)

> Spence, hereâ€™s some info from the Baltimore book:


 1925 thing shows that at702-704 S Wolfe St. if your getting real technical.
 Also
 1925 thing cont.

 Kentucky
 Blackey,Bowling Green,Central City,Henderson,Madisonville,Middlesboro,Owensboro,Paducah,Pikeville,
 LA
 Baton Rouge,Shreveport
 ME
 none

 MD
 Baltimore,
 Mass, Mich, Minn,
 none
 Miss
 BrookhavenComo,Corinth,Hattiesburg,Jackson,Meridian,
 MO,MT,NE,NH,NJ,NM
 none


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## morbious_fod (Oct 27, 2007)

> ORIGINAL:  morbious_fod
> While browsing the antique shops today I wound up finding a Chero-Cola from Johnson City Tenn. I would have bought it so I could get you a picture; however, there was this huge J shaped crack in the side of it.
> So theres Johnson City, Tenn.








 I had to have an example of this bottle for my site so I went back to Kingsport today and picked the bottle up. BTW add Kingsport, TN to your list of Chero-Cola bottlers. As always when I find a bottle you will get a picture.


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## kastoo (Oct 27, 2007)

I been leaving Cheros left and right of all kinds..maybe I should know what GA towns I should keep?  Email please Thanks


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## fanboy (Nov 5, 2007)

I can confirm Edgefield. Sc.


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## Tony14 (Dec 3, 2007)

Hey spencer...stumbled across this one on ebay...check her out 
http://cgi.ebay.com/1928-Chero-Cola-Neenah-Wisconsin-qt-soda-water-bottle_W0QQitemZ230199133023QQihZ013QQcategoryZ13915QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## capsoda (Dec 3, 2007)

Hey Tony, Great find.  A slug plate Chero Cola has got to be a rare find.


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## Tony14 (Dec 10, 2007)

http://cgi.ebay.com/1926-Chero-Cola-fancy-sodawater-bottle-Neenah-Wisconsin_W0QQitemZ230200736849QQihZ013QQcategoryZ13915QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 heres another wisconsin one!


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## rick L. (Jul 3, 2010)

hi! i'm brand-new to the list & have a question about Chero-Cola bottles: do you know WHY they say "This bottle never sold" at the bottom?

 rick


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## OsiaBoyce (Jul 3, 2010)

Because they wanted their bottles back.


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## pyshodoodle (Jul 3, 2010)

Hi Rick, 
 Welcome to the forum. Years ago, it was standard practice to return your bottles so they could be washed & reused. This ended sometime in the 1990s, I believe. [8|]


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

A quick review, you only wanted Chero-Cola bottles on this list not pyramid soda water bottles. Now that I have done much more research in the area, I think I can give you a fairly good list of the bottlers in my area.







 Princeton, W VA. No straight sides known yet.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

Pocahontas, VA no swirl type bottle found yet; however, one of their ads pictures one of them so I'm sure they exist.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

Cleveland, VA no swirl bottles found; however, a 1927 reciept lists Chero-Cola along with Melo-Orange and Melo-Grape, and two Nehi flavors.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

Coeburn, VA only a pyramid bottle found so far; however, they started in 1922 so there should be a swirl bottle out there somewhere.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

Appalachia, VA a straight side Chero-Cola.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

Kingsport, Tenn. While they were bottling Pepsi-Cola from 1919 until 1924 they changed their name to the Kingsport Chero-Cola Bottling Company in 1924 so there should be a twist style at least from this company, but none have come to light yet. There is a later 1940's style twist Chero bottle though.


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## morbious_fod (Jul 3, 2010)

You already have Bristol on your list, so here is Johnson City Tenn. 






 That pretty much covers the bottlers in my area; however, I did find where a Chero-Cola Bottling Company was selling it's operation in *Mullins, WV *during the mid 1920's so there may be some from there.


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## MikiFinn (Aug 1, 2011)

I just got a Chero-Cola bottle in an auction from Chiple, Fl 7-oz.   anyone have any idea of the value?  I will post a photo....


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