Lost Regional Sodas Exhibit

Whether called soda, pop, tonic, or even coke, for most of the 18th and 19th centuries, towns, cities and regions had their own popular local soft drinks. Most were created by and sold through small bottling houses based on local flavors and regional character.

During the 1950s-1970s, most of these bottlers were purchased by larger companies like Pepsi and either closed or shifted to make that company’s beverages. When the regional drinks did not find popularity with a larger audience, they were discontinued.

While some regional sodas like Moxie, Cheerwine, and Ale 8-one are still available, most were gone before the end of the 1980s. We celebrate many of these lost sodas in this exhibit.