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Business News
Independence, MO —
Pop quiz. Where did the Forbis Spring bubble up in Independence?
Give up? It was said to be a spring on the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails during the 1820s through 1850s. Thirsty for more? Forbis Spring’s fresh waters went into bottles of Polly’s Pop from 1923 to 1925 (from 1925 to 1967, refined city water was used).
Polly’s Pop, with its parrot trademark, was produced by the Independence Bottling Company along North River Boulevard between Truman Road and Maple Avenue. It also was a local distributor for Goetz beer.
The company was owned by Louis L. “Polly” and Dorothea Compton from 1923 until his brothers-in-law, Vernon and Victor Givan, became co-managers in 1947. Compton retired and sold to the Givans in 1953.
Can’t you just taste the colored flavors? Grape was first. Then orange. Soon, mainstays like root beer, cream, strawberry, cherry, lemon soda and lemon sour were added, according to Richard and Joanie Heitzman, who compiled and privately printed reproductions of Polly Pop’s post-World War II advertisements. Later, orange-pineapple, black cherry, Hawaiian punch, lime and peach were developed.
Of course “cola” flavor was quite popular. And, there was an obscure flavor they either manufactured or distributed called “panic.” Who remembers the taste of “panic?” I think I’d pass!
“It didn’t last long,” said Ken Givan, who was completing a book about Polly’s Pop before his death in January 2011.
Unbelievably, they sold bottles of Polly’s Pop for five cents and never raised their price in more than 40 years. While Polly the parrot was on most merchandise and advertising, occasionally a Scotchman was used instead of the Polly logo, which I can only surmise was a punch that their soda pop only cost a nickel?
Polly’s Pop “fizzled” by July 1, 1967. Victor Givan had just died, and according to his brother, he didn’t want to carry on alone. Besides, national soft drink companies were switching to cans and plastic bottles. That revolution helped “put a cap” in the Independence Bottling Company’s future. At the time they closed, the Independence Bottling Company was one of the oldest businesses in Independence (survived only by Bundschu’s and Knoepker’s dry goods stores, and Standard Oil).
What’s left today to remind the future about an inventive and uniquely Independence and Eastern Jackson County industry once known as Polly’s Pop? “Pollyania,” (if that’s a word), or Polly’s Pop memorabilia, perhaps collected by “Pollystorians,” can help showcase this fascinating local history story into the future.
Pop quiz. Where did the Forbis Spring bubble up in Independence?
Give up? It was said to be a spring on the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails during the 1820s through 1850s. Thirsty for more? Forbis Spring’s fresh waters went into bottles of Polly’s Pop from 1923 to 1925 (from 1925 to 1967, refined city water was used).
Polly’s Pop, with its parrot trademark, was produced by the Independence Bottling Company along North River Boulevard between Truman Road and Maple Avenue. It also was a local distributor for Goetz beer.
The company was owned by Louis L. “Polly” and Dorothea Compton from 1923 until his brothers-in-law, Vernon and Victor Givan, became co-managers in 1947. Compton retired and sold to the Givans in 1953.
Can’t you just taste the colored flavors? Grape was first. Then orange. Soon, mainstays like root beer, cream, strawberry, cherry, lemon soda and lemon sour were added, according to Richard and Joanie Heitzman, who compiled and privately printed reproductions of Polly Pop’s post-World War II advertisements. Later, orange-pineapple, black cherry, Hawaiian punch, lime and peach were developed.
Of course “cola” flavor was quite popular. And, there was an obscure flavor they either manufactured or distributed called “panic.” Who remembers the taste of “panic?” I think I’d pass!
“It didn’t last long,” said Ken Givan, who was completing a book about Polly’s Pop before his death in January 2011.
Unbelievably, they sold bottles of Polly’s Pop for five cents and never raised their price in more than 40 years. While Polly the parrot was on most merchandise and advertising, occasionally a Scotchman was used instead of the Polly logo, which I can only surmise was a punch that their soda pop only cost a nickel?
Polly’s Pop “fizzled” by July 1, 1967. Victor Givan had just died, and according to his brother, he didn’t want to carry on alone. Besides, national soft drink companies were switching to cans and plastic bottles. That revolution helped “put a cap” in the Independence Bottling Company’s future. At the time they closed, the Independence Bottling Company was one of the oldest businesses in Independence (survived only by Bundschu’s and Knoepker’s dry goods stores, and Standard Oil).
What’s left today to remind the future about an inventive and uniquely Independence and Eastern Jackson County industry once known as Polly’s Pop? “Pollyania,” (if that’s a word), or Polly’s Pop memorabilia, perhaps collected by “Pollystorians,” can help showcase this fascinating local history story into the future.
The Jackson County Historical Society is sending out a call for historical memorabilia that relates to Polly’s Pop, hopeful that this invitation to donate may be as popular as the flavorful soda pop was to local residents. To date, only one older “Independence Bottling Works” bottle has been donated to the society’s historical collections, and it appears to pre-date Polly’s Pop culture.
Obviously, the primary artifacts identifying the bottling company’s triumph are various bottles (clear and colored, empty and full) that might need a permanent home. There may also be advertising signs; wooden and/or paperboard crates with logos; bottle caps; and advertising key chains, knives, watches, even rare sacks of marbles used in a 1959 advertising promotion. Heitzman said the bags of marbles were attached to six-bottle cartons of Polly’s Pop. Some readers might also have original photographs to contribute.
Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Heitzman, the history of Polly’s Pop ads is nicely assembled. The Historical Society desires to acquire a sufficient quantity and variety of Polly’s Pop donations to create future museum exhibits. And, wouldn’t the written record and history of Polly’s Pop be worthwhile? After all, May 14, 2013, is the 90th anniversary of the founding of the L.L. “Polly” Compton’s Independence Bottling Company.
The site of the former home of Polly’s Pop (and Independence Bottling Company) is already preserved by the city of Independence. Though none of the buildings survive, the location was converted in 1980 to the Polly’s Pop Green Space. Sadly, however, fresh water no longer runs freely to the surface from that ancient Forbis Spring.
