Winchester Coca-Cola Bottling Works
Also known as: Dhr# 138-5044
Why it's listed
Built in 1940-1941 along Valley Avenue, the main route through the Shenandoah Valley, this two-story reinforced-concrete factory bottled Coca-Cola for Winchester and the surrounding area. Its brick walls, cast-stone lintels and coping, and stepped corbelled entrance show a restrained Art Deco design attributed to Doran S. Platt of Davis & Platt, Inc., a Takoma Park, Maryland, building firm. Large plate-glass windows on the front let passersby watch bottling in progress, a departure from factories that hid production, and a cast-stone panel carries the Coca-Cola script. Additions came in 1960 and 1974, and the plant later served as a warehouse and distribution center until it closed in 2006. The interior remains largely unaltered, including an office with terrazzo floors and paneled wainscot. The property was listed for its place in the region's industrial history and for its well-preserved architecture, which reflects how the company promoted itself through building design in the mid-twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a well-preserved mid-20th-century soft drink bottling facility in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Its large storefront windows, prominent roadside location and Coca-Cola signature reflect the company's use of architecture as marketing. It is also described as one of the most visually intact Art Deco buildings and one of the few surviving World War II-era industrial buildings in Winchester.
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 08000895, listed September 12, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1720 Valley Ave., Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Winchester |
| Listed | September 12, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000895 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1958 |
| Architect / builder | DAVIS & PLATT, INC. -BUILDERS (DORAN S. PLATT, ARCHITECT) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use; the plant closed in 2006, and the rear brick garage is structurally unsound and in danger of collapse. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.17079, -78.17723 (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 08000895.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903511
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.