Terre Haute, Indiana Memories


Root Glass Works / Midland Glass Co.


Chapman J. Root moved to Terre Haute in 1900, opening the Root Glass Works on May 27, 1901.
Chapman J. Root along with T. Clyde Edwards, Earl R. Dean and Alexander Samuelson designed the now famous 6.5 fluid ounce Coca Cola bottle.
That design was selected from among 11 designs in a national competition. The Coca Cola bottle design made Root a very wealthy man.
The Root Glass Works had a contract with Coca-Cola in 1916 which stated the glass works would receive 5 cents royalty for the design for every 144 bottles made. That was on top of the price paid for manufacturing the bottles.
In 1932 the plant was sold to Owens-Illinois Glass Co. American-Wheaton Glass Co. purchased the business in 1960. American Can purchased the business in 1962. It was then sold to Midland Glass Co. in 1968. Plant was closed in 1984 and 10 years later it was demolished.



Nu Grape Bottle
Kind of a knock off of
the Coca Cola bottle.
Pat'd 1920.
2 1/4" Cork Closure Bottle.
Embossed with Roots - Terre Haute, Ind.
Last Day Bottle
Midland Glass
April 30, 1984