End of a (thinner) era: Last iconic 6.5oz glass Coke bottle rolls off the line as company focuses on much bigger sizes
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The last 6.5oz glass Coke bottle, an icon of the 1950s and a relic of slimmer American waistlines, rolled off the bottling line in Winona, Minnesota, on Tuesday.
Since 1915, the distinct conical bottle was a symbol of the company's soft drink dominance -- appearing prominently in Coca-Cola's advertising campaigns even in recent years.
But, the returnable glass bottles have became obsolete -- too expensive to produce in the era of plastic and aluminum and far too small for the tastes of most modern Americans.
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End of the line: These Coca-Cola bottles are among the last to be capped in the United States
Last stand: The Winona Coca-Cola Bottling Company was the last plant in the state producing the iconic bottles. It ended its production on Tuesday
Icon: The glass bottle, tiny by today's standards, became a symbol of the Coca-Cola brand. Here, Santa Claus is seen with one in the 1953 poster
The small glass bottles were meant to be returned to the grocery, cleaned and refilled -- a process that required more effort than most consumers were willing to invest.
For decades, 20oz plastic bottles -- more than three times of the size of the glass Coke bottles -- have been the staple of Coke's beverage lineup.
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ShareIn 1915, the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana, won the design competition for Coca-Cola's bottle by creating an instantly-recognizable shape that was so distinct, it could even be picked out by touch in the dark.
It was a revolution. Coke had only previously been available from soda fountains at drug stores and deli counters.
This Coke is it! General manager and vice president LeRoy Telstad pulls the last glass coke bottle off the bottling line on Tuesday morning
'Round they go: The glass bottle has become obsolete -- it costs too much to produce and is too small to fit modern tastes
Staple: The glass bottle, seen in this 1946 ad, has been a staple of the company since 1915
ICONIC BOTTLE IS EVEN RECOGNIZABLE IN THE DARK
Iconic glass Coca-Cola bottle was the result of a design competition the company sponsored in 1915.
Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, won by designing a container that was instantly recognizable and so distinct, it could even be identified in the dark, touch by feel alone.
The thick glass bottles were meant to be reusable -- not disposable. Customers paid a deposit every time they bought one, which was returned to them when they brought the bottle back to the store.
The bottle became such a symbol for the company that it began appearing in advertisements and formed a basis for many future bottle designs.
The 6.5oz bottles allowed Americans to take Coke home and enjoy it anywhere -- not just when they came to town.
The famous Coca-Cola Santa Claus -- who was only drank Coke from a frosty glass -- was suddenly pictured in advertisements with a bottle in his hand.
By 1955, Coke had introduced 10, 12 and 26oz glass bottles. Aluminum 12oz cans were introduced in 1960.
One by one, bottling plants across the country stopped filling the historic glass bottles as demand plummeted.
Eventually, the Winona Coca-Cola Bottling Co was the last remaining plant still using them.
That ended on Tuesday. Coca-Cola is no longer bottled in 6.5oz glass containers in the United States, the Winona Daily News reports.
Te final 6,000 bottles that the company produced in Winona are being sold as collectors items for $20 each with the proceeds going to build parks and trails in the small Minnesota city.
The very last bottle was auctioned off on Tuesday. It sold for $2,000.
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