February 2010 Meeting

Our thanks to the members who braved the winter weather to attend out February meeting at the Shadow Auction Barn in Terre Haute.

The February meeting of the WVABPC was well attended 15 people were present, we had a surprise visit from a guy who works constuction and is working on the Brown Avenue extension. He dug a large sized cobalt blue J.J. Baur’s bottle in beautiful condition - not for sale - you never know where you will find things.

We talked about the annual picnic in August, dates to pick from are 7, 14, and 21. I will send an email out to ask for feedback on this and maybe Martin will put it in the newsletter.

Doug Porter gave a great presentation on the American Penny ,and he has a nice collection, large cents, Indian pennies and Lincoln, and a nice type collection of American coins, he says most of the time these coins stay in a lock box at the bank, hard to enjoy them, and a collection like this is expensive to put together and it has taken him years to do it, he started in high school. Thank you Doug.

Next month is our club auction, so bring some good bottles in that you want to get rid of, and remember there will be a table that will be donated to the cancer cure. Peggy will give a presentation in April.

Ed

Terre Haute, February 2010

Baur's Pharmacy Bottle

The text on the bottle reads...

J. J. Baur Druggist
Cor. 7th and Main Sts. Opp. Terre Haute House, Terre Haute, Ind.
"Purity and Accuracy"

Baur's Pharmacy was founded in 1869 by John Jacob Baur who was an immigrant from Zurich, Switzerland. In 1896, it was operating from 701 and 703 Wabash Avenue, which is one the southeast corner of Seventh and Main (Wabash) Streets, opposite Terre Haute House. Baur's was a manufacturing pharmacy and the original building was a handsome three-storey brick structure. In 1908, the Terre Haute Trust building was built on the site and Baur's Pharmacy then occupied part of that building.

Baur's manufactured "Baur's Lettuce Lotion" which was a "beautifier" for the face and hands and used by "the very best society people." He also made "Baur's Iron, Wine and Peruvian Bark Tonic" which used as a blood reviver tonic for the "tired and overworked."

John Jacob Baur died in 1886. His son, Jacob Baur, who was born in 1857, founded the Liquid Carbonic Acid Manufacturing Company in 1888. This company manufactured soda fountains - which Jacob had invented. By 1909, the company was the largest of its kind in the world. Jacob has one full brother, Charles Baur, and two half brothers, Oscar Baur and Arthur Baur. Charles and Oscar assisted him in the organization and management of the company. Charles died in 1904; Jacob died in 1912, a very wealthy man but aged just 55. Oscar assisted Jacob's widow, Bertha Duppler Baur, for a few years after Jacob died but then went on to others things. After prohibition, he acquired and resurrected the Terre Haute Brewing Company, maker of Champaign Velvet, "the beer with the Million Dollar flavor."

Sources:

Drugstore Museum
Drugstore Museum - Liquid Carbonic Company
Terre Haute Up-To-Date (1896

This page created February 12, 2010; last modified February 13, 2010