Terre Haute’s downtown will soon be permanently adorned with six-foot Coke bottle sculptures. It’s an effort to boost tourism and brand the city as the birthplace of the Coke bottle.
The project’s title sponsor is the family that started it all.
Development Director of the Vigo County Historical Museum Susan Tingley says the former Root Glass Company won the bottle design in 1915.
"They said 'we want a design that is, very clearly, the Coca Cola bottle, that it can't be mistaken for anything else'," Tingley says. "So we thought it was interesting the designs on our sculptures are basically camouflaging this bottle, but you can still recognize it.”
Tingley says the Root family moved to Florida decades ago, but they still honor their heritage.
Local artists painted the 27 fiberglass bottles and sponsors helped decide each design. The artwork reflects Terre Haute’s history, represents the sponsor’s business or are just artistic designs.
Tingley says the bottle installation is underway and should complete soon.