Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company Building
Also known as: Home of Dr. Pepper
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at the corner of 5th and Mary streets in Waco, this brick bottling plant was designed for the Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company and is known as the Home of Dr Pepper. Its broad round-arch openings, rusticated plaster voussoirs, corbeled second-story windows and three-story square tower reflect the influence of H.H. Richardson's Romanesque work. Waco architects Glenn Allen and Milton W. Scott produced the design, with Scott apparently in charge. The plant is tied to the early soft drink industry: Dr Pepper was created in Waco in 1885, and the Artesian company formed in 1891 to bottle it. A tornado in 1953 destroyed the roof over the two-story section, part of a wall and a decorative parapet, yet most original fabric remains. The plant produced Dr Pepper locally until 1965, was sold to Baylor University in 1966 and returned to the company in 1979, which planned a museum.
Significance in brief: The building is a fine local example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, shown in its round-arch openings and prominent voussoirs. It also marks the history of the American beverage industry through its link to the production of Dr Pepper, one of the pioneer soft drinks. It kept most of its original fabric despite tornado damage in 1953.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83003152, listed May 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300 S. 5th St., Waco |
|---|---|
| County | McLennan County |
| Listed | May 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003152 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-07 |
| Architect / builder | Glenn Allen & Milton W. Scott |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant and unoccupied, with work in progress; the owner planned to restore it and convert it to a museum on the history of Dr Pepper. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 31.55513, -97.12941 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83003152.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107317674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.