Coca-Cola Building
Posted by: 
Markerman62
N 28° 50.232 W 082° 19.805
17R E 370241 N 3190675
Located at 120 North Apopka Avenue.
Waymark Code: WMYVXC
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 07/30/2018
Views: 7
The All-American drink was introduced to Citrus County in the early 1900's. W.T. Baxley acted as a sub-bottler to the Tampa Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and began bottling it in Hernando in 1906. Empty bottles were washed in Hernando Lake, then filled and transported by horse drawn wagon to Inverness. In 1914, World War I was underway in Europe, and the phosphate mines in Hernando started closing. W.T. Baxley then moved his building and business to Inverness behind his home at 110 N. Pine Street. After Mr. Baxley's death on December 29, 1931, Mrs. Pearl Baxley headed the operation in this brick building (pictured above) at 112 N. Apopka Avenue. In 1933, the Inverness plant bought the Brooksville territory. Mrs. Baxley died in May of 1960 at 85, and the business was continued by their son, Carey Baxley, and daughter, Ina Lee Baxley Green. In the early years, it would take a year to use a 50-gallon barrel of syrup, producing around 250 cases a year of course, it developed into a thriving and prosperous business. The family business and building were sold to Florida Coca-Cola in 1979, with the County purchasing the building from Coca-Cola in 1983.
Marker Number: None
Date: None
County: Citrus
Marker Type: Plaque
Sponsored or placed by: City of Inverness and the Rotary Club of Inverness
Website: Not listed
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