- -30- then and now (8/22/18)2
- Meet Mable at Mable's Cafe in Chaffee (8/20/18)
- Willow Grove Rockets Skate Club (8/15/18)
- Central Municipal Pool built in 1979 (8/13/18)
- Hecht's Store founder returns to Main street (8/8/18)
- Land acquired to build SEMO Port (8/6/18)
- St. Vincent's Seminary ends after 136 years (8/1/18)1
Cape City Bottling Works was founded by Col. G.C. Thilenius, a Civil War veteran, in 1888 at a site next to the family residence, Longview, on West Independence street [now Whitener St.] in Cape Girardeau. Emil M. Thilenius, his son, acquired the company in 1900, after he had worked in the plant a number of years. He later built a new facility at 228 N. Pacific St., seen in this photo, adjacent to the south of the new family home. He died in 1932. Emil's sons, Paul A. and Arthur W. Thilenius, were also associated with the business.
The bottling works manufactured high grade carbonated drinks, specializing in Lime Cola, NuGrape, Orange Squeeze and Cape Soda. A.D. Milde of Jackson bought the company in 1926, while Arthur W. Thilenius remained as manager. The latter bought out Milde in 1943. (Picture published in SEMO Drummers Association Souvenir Edition, 1914)
Col. G.C. Thilenius was the great-great-grandfather of Julia Jones. She provides this information:
The original building where the colonel had his business existed on the estate property (The original winery was on the site of Longview which was about 10 acres of fruit trees) and was a large, brick and beam, three story structure that was taken down in the early 60’s. The bricks went to Jeff City and the beams were used by a local church to build their building near where the Pagoda Gardens existed. The University tore this building down for a parking lot. Colonel Thilenius immigrated from Germany with his family (he was only 18 at the time) in 1847. He was Mayor of the City after the Civil War (of which he played a critical role) and then he was elected to the House of Representatives at the turn of the Century. He passed away in 1910.
Read about the Milde Coca-Cola Bottling Company in this blog by Sharon Sanders:
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