Clem Bottling Works was opened in March 1907 by Dock Clem and his father, J. M. Clem. In May 1914, this plant was opened on South Main Street where the building still stands today. The leading soft drinks marketed and distributed by the company were Clem’s Cola, “r-pep,” orange, strawberry, and root beer. Other flavors bottled were cream soda, peach, lemon lime, fruit punch, “pep-up,” rock and rye, and chocolate. In the group photograph taken in 1911, seen here, one can see Dock Clem seated on the back of a delivery wagon. The white horse named Dan pulled the delivery wagon for so many years that he would stop and start at the correct place of his own accord. When Dock Clem died in May 1942, his son Harold took over leadership of the family business. For years, groups, especially schoolchildren, toured the bottling plant. There were always cold drinks for everyone. Clem Bottling Works closed its doors in 1972, after 65 years of continuous operation. (Courtesy of Steven Hanley and Ray Hanley.)
Arcadia
