Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co
Company Names, addresses, dates1:
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 215 7th SW (1920-1956)3
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 209 7th SW (1933-1938)
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 132 King St Alexandria VA (1934-1938+)
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 209-27 7th SW (1939)
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 215 7th SW (1940-1956)
  Rock Creek Ginger Ale Co, 500 Penn St NE (1957-1981+)
  Blair House Fine Soft Drinks, 500 Penn St NE (1966-1981+)
Notes:
Lindsey P. Rawley (b. 1888 in North Carolina) started the Rock Creek
Ginger Ale company with his 2 brothers in 1920. They bought an old
bowling alley at 215 7th Street SW and converted it into a bottling
plant. Despite it's name, the Rock Creek Ginger Ale company apparently
used to get its water from the Potomac, not Rock Creek3.
I'm not sure why Rock Creek doesn't show up in directories until 1933, but
the post article3 and the "Tiger brand" label on one of
the bottles below both indicate that the company started in 1920.
I haven't searched directories past 1975 yet, so I don't know how long
the Rock Creek Ginger Ale company lasted. I think the address "209-27"
may have been a typo, and that it was actually "209-17", as that is
the address I saw in a book that has a picture of the company, claiming
it was a 27,000 square foot plant. 2
Blair House was listed at the same address as Rock Creek (500 Penn St NE).
There exists a bottle with a label that says "BLAIR HOUSE" and also says
"BOTTLED BY ROCK CREEK BEVERAGES IN WASHINGTON DC". The "Blair House" in
Washington DC is a famous house where heads of states stay when they visit
the President.
Applied-color-label Bottles:
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This is a 7.8" clear crown top bottle with black,red & white markings: shoulders: (diamond shapes) front: Rock / Creek / CLUB / Soda back: SALT FREE / A Self Mixing / CARBONATED WATER. / DO NOT STIR / THIS SODA HAS BEEN CARBONATED / BY THE SUPER SATURATION PROCESS / AND HAS UNDERGONE A SERIES OF / FILTRATION AND STERILZATION / TREATMENTS UNDER THE MOST / EXACTING LABORATORY CONDITIONS. / TO ASSURE A SODA OF UNEXCELLED / QUALITY. / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS 7 FLUID OZS. |
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This is a 9.5" green crown top bottle with red on white markings: front shoulder: PALE / DRY front: Rock / Creek / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / Ginger ALE / CONTENTS 12 FLU. OZ. back shoulder: ROCK CREEK back: THIS BOTTLE IS SCIENTIFICALLY STERILIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / THIS SEAL IS FOR YOUR ASSURANCE OF PURITY / THIS BEVERAGE IS A BLEND OF THE FINEST INGREDIENTS... BOTTLED UNDER THE MOST EXACTING SANITARY CONDITIONS, TO ASSURE YOU A PRODUCT OF QUALITY / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC / THE NATIONAL CAPITOL |
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These are identical except that one is clear glass and the other is green glass.
They are 9.5" crown top bottles with red on yellow & white markings: front shoulder: ROCK CREEK back shoulder: ROCK CREEK front: ROCK / CREEK / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / BEVERAGES / CONTENTS 12 FLU. OZ. back: THIS BOTTLE IS SCIENTIFICALLY STERILIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / THIS SEAL IS FOR YOUR ASSURANCE OF PURITY / THIS BEVERAGE IS A BLEND OF THE FINEST INGREDIENTS... BOTTLED UNDER THE MOST EXACTING SANITARY CONDITIONS, TO ASSURE YOU A PRODUCT OF QUALITY / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC / THE NATION'S CAPITOL |
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These bottles are identical except one has clear glass and the other has green.
They are 9.4" crown tops with red on yellow & white markings: front shoulder: "OZONIZED" back shoulder: ROCK CREEK front: ROCK / CREEK / REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. / BEVERAGES / CONTENTS 12 FLU. OZ. back: THIS BOTTLE IS OZONIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / THE OZONIZED SEAL IS FOR YOUR ASSURANCE OF PURITY / THIS BEVERAGE IS A BLEND OF THE FINEST INGREDIENTS... BOTTLED UNDER THE MOST EXACTING SANITARY CONDITIONS, TO ASSURE YOU A PRODUCT OF QUALITY / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC / THE NATION'S CAPITOL |
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These bottles are identical except one has clear glass and the other has green.
They are 9.5" green crown tops with red on white markings: front shoulder: Rock / Creek / Fine / Beverages front: Rock / Creek / Fine / Beverages back shoulder: Rock / Creek / 12 OZ. back: THIS BOTTLE IS SCIENTIFICALLY STERILIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / THIS SEAL IS FOR YOUR ASSURANCE OF PURITY / THIS BEVERAGE IS A BLEND OF THE FINEST INGREDIENTS... BOTTLED UNDER THE MOST EXACTING SANITARY CONDITIONS, TO ASSURE YOU A PRODUCT OF QUALITY / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC / THE NATION'S CAPITOL / 12 FLU. OZ |
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These are 11" crown top bottles. Left is clear with red-on-white markings that say: both shoulders: Sweet / 16 / INSTANT / ENERGY front: Rock / Creek / Fine / Beverages / Sweet / 16 / ONE PINT back: PLEASE / RETURN FOR DEPOSIT / THIS BOTTLE IS SCIENTIFICALLY STERILIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / THIS SEAL IS FOR YOUR ASSURANCE OF PURITY / THIS BEVERAGE IS A BLEND OF THE FINEST INGREDIENTS... BOTTLED UNDER THE MOST EXACTING SANITARY CONDITIONS, TO ASSURE YOU A PRODUCT OF QUALITY / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC / THE NATION'S CAPITOL / 16 FLU. OZ The right one is aqua with white-on-red markings that say: front shoulder: 16 OZ / Sweet / 16 front: Rock / Creek / Fine / Beverages / Sweet / 16 PINT back shoulder: 16 OZ / ONE / PINT back: THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON, D.C. / THE NATION'S CAPITOL / 16 FL. OZ. The markings on the 2nd bottle were painted on top of other markings that were for Trim Diet Soda. |
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This is a 9.5" clear crown top bottle with blue on white markings: front shoulder: CLUB / SODA front: ROCK / CREEK / REG US PAT OFF / Sparkling / WATER / CONTENTS 12 FLU. OZ. back shoulder: ROCK CREEK back: THIS BOTTLE IS SCIENTIFICALLY STERILIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION / A SELF-MIXING / CARBONATED WATER - / DO NOT STIR. / THIS SODA HAS BEEN / CARBONATED UNDER THE SUPER / SATURATION PRCOESS AND/ HAS UNDERGONE A SERIES / OF FILTRATOIN AND STERILI- / ZATION TREATMENTS UNDER / THE MOST EXTRACTING LABORATORY / CONDITIONS TO ASSURE A SODA / OF UNEXCELLED QUALITY. / THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC The bottle appears to have the original contents and bottle-cap intact. |
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This is a stipled, clear 11.2" crown-top bottle embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK bottom: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / 2. / 1 PT. 8 FL. OZ. / Duraglass / WASH. D.C. |
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This is a 9.7" clear ABM crown top bottle embossed: front shoulder: ROCK back shoulder: CREEK front heel: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. back heel: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. bottom: WASHINGTON DC / CONTENTS 12 FL. OZ. / REGISTERED / RICHMOND, VA. |
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This is a 8.8" clear ABM crown top bottle embossed: front shoulder: ONE PINT / NO DEPOSIT back shoulder: ONE PINT / NO RETURN front: ROCK / CREEK / Beverages back: ROCK / CREEK / Beverages bottom: NOT TO BE RETURNED |
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This is an 11" green ABM crown top bottle embossed: front & rear shoulders: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES front heel: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back heel: MIN CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 OZ. / TRADE MARK REGISTERED bottom: R It has a lightning stopper. I'm suprised it it has a lightning stopper, when the liturature indicates that these stoppers died out in the 1920s. |
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This is similar to the bottle above, but much smaller. It's an 8" green ABM crown top bottle embossed: front & rear shoulders: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES front heel: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back heel: MIN CONTENTS 7 OZ. / TRADE MARK REGISTERED bottom: R |
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This is an 11" aqua ABM crown top bottle embossed: front shoulder: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES front heel: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back shoulder: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES back heel: MIN CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 OZ. / TRADE MARK REGISTERED bottom: RC |
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This is an 11" aqua ABM crown top bottle embossed: front shoulder: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES front heel: PEPSI COLA BOTTLING CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. back shoulder: ROCK CREEK / BEVERAGES back heel: MIN CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 OZ. / TRADE MARK REGISTERED bottom: R / 3974E-628 |
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This is a 9" (11.5" with the metal top) clear siphon seltzer bottle embossed: front: ROCK CREEK / SPARKLING / CARBONATED / WATER / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON, D.C. / CONTENTS 26 FL. OZ. back: RC RC The metal top is marked: top: R side: ROCK CREEK |
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This is a 10.5" green 10-sided siphon seltzer bottle etched: front: ROCK CREEK / SPARKLING / CARBONATED / WATER / CONTENTS / 28 FLUID OZ / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. RICHMOND, VA. bottom: MADE / IN / ECHOSLOVAKI (some letters may have been cut off) |
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This is a 9" (11.5" with the metal top) clear siphon seltzer bottle embossed: front: ROCK CREEK / OZONATED / CARBONIC WATER / ROCK CREEK / GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON, D.C. back: RC bottom: 1 PT 10 FL OZ / DES PAT NO 91846 |
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This is a stipled, green 11" crown-top bottle embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK bottom: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / 3. / 1 PT. 8 FL. OZ. / Duraglass / WASH. D.C. label: THIS BEVERAGE IS Ozonized FOR YOUR PROTECTION / ROCK CREEK / PALE DRY / GINGER ALE / CONTENTS / 1 PT. 8 FL OZS. / CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR, CITRIC / ACID, GINGER ROOT, FLAVOR AND CARAMEL COLOR / BOTTLED BY / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / WASHINGTON DC |
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This is a stipled, green 11" crown-top bottle embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK bottom: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / 3. / 1 PT. 8 FL. OZ. / Duraglass / WASH. D.C. top label: GINGER ALE / PALE DRY / ROCK CREEK / SERVE COLD lower label: ROCK CREEK /PALE DRY / GINGER ALE / CONTAINS TRIPLE FILTERED CARBONATED WATER, PURE PASTURIZED CANE SUGAR / CITRIC ACID, FLAVORS AND CARAMEL COLORS / (C) 1955 R.C.G.A.CO. |
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This is a stipled, green 11" crown-top bottle embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK top label: QUININE TONIC / MIXER FOR GIN OR VODKA lower label: ROCK CREEK / QUININE WATER (the rest is faded) |
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This is a stipled, green 11" crown-top bottle embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK bottom: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / 3. / 1 PT. 8 FL. OZ. / Duraglass / WASH. D.C. top label: READY MIXER / TRUE FRUIT / ROCK CREEK / TOM COLLINS / SERVE COLD lower label: ROCK CREEK /TRUE FRUIT / TOM COLLINS/ READY MIXER / CONTAINS TRIPLE FILTERED CARBONATED WATER, PURE PASTURIZED CANE SUGAR, LEMON JUICE / OIL OF LEMON, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, CITRIC ACID AND LESS THAN 1/10 of 1% BENZOATE OF SODA / (C) 1955 R.C.G.A.CO. |
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This is a stipled, clear 11" crown-top bottle (with original contents) embossed: around shoulder: ROCK CREEK bottom: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / 3. / 1 PT. 8 FL. OZ. / Duraglass / WASH. D.C. top label: FAMILY KOLA / SERVE COLD / THIS BEVERAGE IS Ozonized FOR YOUR PROTECTION lower label: ROCK CREEK / FAMILY COLA / Serves the family / CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER, PURE CANE SUGAR, KOLA FLAVOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID AND CARAMEL COLOR / PRODUCT OF / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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This is an 11.5" clear ABM screw top bottle with label: shoulder: SINCE 1920 / 50 GOLDEN YEARS No1 / SINCE 1920 front: ONE WAY NO RETURN / Tiger BRAND / OLD FASHIONED / Ginger Ale / ... / BOTTLED BY ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO, WASH, D.C. 20002 |
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This is a stipled, green 7" crown-top bottle embossed: front/back shoulders: 12 FL OZ / NO DEPOSIT front/back: BLAIR / HOUSE / FINE / SOFT DRINKS bottom: NOT TO BE REFILLED 3 GK-15361 5 67 Note that it doesn't actually say ROCK CREEK or WASHINGTON DC, but the only "BLAIR HOUSE" bottling company I know of was the one at 500 Penn St NE, Washington DC. |
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This is a stipled (but smooth in the middle), green 7" crown-top bottle embossed: front/back shoulders: 12 FL OZ / BLAIR HOUSE front near base: NO DEPOSIT front near base: NO RETURN bottom: NOT TO BE REFILLED 3 GK-15361 11 68 Note that it doesn't actually say ROCK CREEK or WASHINGTON DC, but the only "BLAIR HOUSE" bottling company I know of was the one at 500 Penn St NE, Washington DC. |
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This is Rock Creek Ginger Ale wooden crate. On the ends it says "PROPERTY OF ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO / 1920 / 1948". On the sides it says "ROCK CREEK / PALE GOLDEN GINGER ALE / SPARKING WATER / OZONIZED". Judging from the size of it and the slots where the separators used to go, it looks like it held 12 large bottles (11" 1-pint-8-oz bottles). |
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Here's another crate, but this one has the date 1954. |
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This is a bottle cap. It is marked: SUPERIOR / ROCK CREEK / PALE DRY / GINGER ALE / CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER / SUGAR, CITRIC ACID / FLAVOR AND CARAMEL / COLOR On the edges, it's marked: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO WASHINGTON DC |
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This is another bottle cap. It is marked: SUPERIOR / ROCK CREEK / GOLDEN / GINGER ALE / CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER / SUGAR, CITRIC ACID / FLAVOR AND CARAMEL / COLOR On the edges, it's marked: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO WASHINGTON DC |
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This is another bottle cap. It is marked: SUPERIOR / ROCK CREEK / ORANGE SODA / CONTAINS CARBONATED WATER, SUGAR / CITRIC ACID / JUICE OF WHOLE ORANGE / ARTIFICIAL COLOR, LESS THAN / 1/10 of 1% BENZOATE / OF SODA On the edges, it's marked: ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO WASHINGTON DC |
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This is another bottle cap. It is marked: TRU FRUIT / ROCK / CREEK / ORANGE / SODA / On the edges, it's marked: 1/10 of 1% BENZOATE OF SODA |
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This bottle cap has a hole in it. It is marked: ROCK CRREK GINGER ALE CO / ROCK CREEK / IMITATION / ORANGE / ART. FLAVOR & COLOR / WASHINGTON, D.C. - RICHMOND, VA. |
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These are red, blue, yellow and silver labels (the small one went on the neck of
the bottle), marked: small label: TRUE FRUIT / ROCK CREEK / ORANGE SODA / SERVE COLD large label: CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 FL. OZS. / ROCK / CREEK / TRUE FRUIT / ORANGE SODA / ARTIFICAL COLOR AND LESS THAN 1-10 of 1% BENSOATE OF SODA. / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO., WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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These are red, green and silver labels marked: small label: OLD FASHIONED / ROCK CREEK / ROOT BEER / SERVE COLD large label: CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 FL. OZS. / ROCK / CREEK / OLD FASHION / ROOT BEER / CARAMEL COLOR, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO., WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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These are red, blue and silver labels marked: small label: SALT FREE / ROCK CREEK / CLUB SODA / SERVE COLD large label: CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 FL. OZS. / ROCK / CREEK / SPARKLES / CONTAINS FILTERED CARBONATED WATER, SUPER SATURATED PROCESS / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO., WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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These are red, green, blue, yellow and silver labels marked: small label: READY MIXER / TRUE FRUIT / ROCK CREEK / TOM COLLINS / SERVE COLD large label: CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 FL. OZS. / ROCK / CREEK / TRUE FRUIT / RUM COLLINS / WHISKEY COLLINS / TOM COLLINS / READY MIXER / LESS THAN 1-10 of 1% BENSOATE OF SODA. / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO., WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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These are red, yellow and silver labels marked: small label: Golden / ROCK CREEK / GINGER ALE / SERVE COLD large label: CONTENTS 1 PT. 8 FL. OZS. / ROCK / CREEK / GOLDEN / GINGER ALE / CREAM ADDED / ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO., WASHINGTON, D.C. |
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These appear to be papers that were used as part of the label design for "TRIM" soda in 1956.
front label: NO SUGAR DIETETIC / ROCK CREEK / TRIM / NO SUGAR / BEVERAGE / NON-NUTRITIVE / Be Slim - Drink TRIM rear label: TRIM / IS A / SCIENTIFICALLY BLENDED ... THE ROCK CREEK GINGER ALE CO. / WASH., D.C. / CONTENTS 10 FLUID OZ. |