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The World's Largest Catsup Bottle was built in 1949. It was built by W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S. Suppiger Catsup Bottling Plant; makers of Brooks Old Original Rich & Tangy Catsup. The Catsup Bottle is a 170 foot water tower that was built for the operation of the plant. It is located in Collinsville, Illinois, South of down town Collinsville, off of Route 159 (Catsup).

 (Photo by: Natlalie Duhr)

Construction

The Catsup Bottle was built in 1949 because in 1947 the W. E. Caldwell Company got a contract to build this 100,000 gallon water tower for the Suppiger plant (Catsup). The Suppiger plant wanted the water tower to help with their plant operations. They used 25,000 gallons for operating the plant and 75,000 gallons for fire protection. The tower took a total of $23, 926.40 to build the 70 foot one inch on 100 foot legs. The bottle itself is 25 feet in diameter at the base and 8 feet at the top (Catsup).

Use

The water tower was used for the plant operation so that the Suppiger plant would stop taking water from the town and give Collinsville residents their full water pressure again(Catsup). However the Catsup Bottle is now empty, and is no longer in use.

Geography

 (http://www.catsupbottle.com/directions.html)

The address for the Catsup Bottle is 800 South Morrison Avenue Collinsville, Illinois 62234 off of Route 159 (ILLINOIS). However you can find souvenirs for the Catsup Bottle at Ashmann's Pharmacy located on 209 East Main Street Collinsville, Illinois 62234 or online (www.catsupbottle.com/merchandise.html)

History

After the World's Largest Catsup Bottle water tower was built in 1949 it belonged to Brooks Foods plant. In September of 1993 Brooks Food moved and decided to put the plant and by extension the water tower up for sale (Catsup). So 14 members of the city of Collinsville got together and created the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group. Then on October 10, 1993 Brooks decided to instead offer the deed to the water tower to the city of Collinsville but the city rejects the offer because then they would have to put out the money to restore it (Catsup). Then 14 days later on October 24, 1993 Brooks takes back the offer because they are trying to sell the whole property to Bethel-Eckert Enterprises (Catsup). So in November of 1993 the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group placed it's first order for t-shirts for their fund-raising for the money to restore the Catsup Bottle (Catsup). In January of 1994 Bethel-Eckert Enterprises takes over the plant and the tower, and on July 15, 1994 Larry and Jim Eckert, owners of Bethel-Eckert Enterprises, decide to help the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group restore the Catsup Bottle (Catsup). Then on August 4, 1994 Larry and Jim Eckert willed the deed to the Catsup Bottle to the city (Catsup). Restoration begins on April 3, 1995, and on June 3, 1995 the city holds a parade to celebrate the restoration of the Catsup Bottle to it's original appearance (Catsup).

Catsup Bottle Preservation Group

 (Photo on left: Judy DeMoisy, Photo on right: Brook DeMoisy. (www.catsupbottle.com)

The Catsup Bottle Preservation Group(CBPG) was created in September of 1993. It consisted of 14 members and was being lead by Judy DeMoisy (Catsup). In 1995 the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group saved the Catsup Bottle water tower from being destroyed and they fought to restore it to it's original appearance. On October 20, 1993 the CBPG opened an account at the Bank of Edwardsville for the money that is raised for the restorations of the Catsup Bottle. It was opened with a $50.00 donation from the Collinsville Women's Club (Catsup). On February 7, 1994 the CBPG gave a presentation to the Collinsville City Council to fight for the town's support on the Catsup Bottle. In September of 1994 Judy DeMoisy makes the famous, to the residents of Collinsville, Catsup Bottle costume (Catsup). Judy DeMoisy, head of the CBPG, is rewarded the “Historic Preservation Award” in July of 1995 (Catsup). In May of 1996 the CBPG is honored by Caldwell Tanks of Louisville, Kentucky for their participation in restoring the Catsup Bottle. They were rewarded a bronze plaque which they put on the base of the water tower (Catsup).

The World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival

The World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival was first held on Saturday, May 17, 1997 but was called “Catsup Bottle Appreciation Day”(13th). The World's Largest Catsup Bottle Birthday Party was first held on June 13, 1999 (13th). The Festival this year will be held on Sunday July 10th from 10am to 5pm at the American Legion Post 365 located at 1022 Vandalia Collinsville, Illinois on Route 159 (13th). The festival consists of games like water-balloon toss, hot-dog eating contests, hula-hoop contests and even singing “Happy Birthday” to the Catsup Bottle (Webley). Pictures from previous festivals are available at www.catsupbottlefestival.com/archive

Maintenance

The Catsup Bottle has been repainted several times since the first time in 1949. The second time it was painted was in 1954 by the Pittsburg Tank Company of Pittsburg, Kansas. Then again in June of 1995, after two years of the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group raising money by selling 6,000 t-shirts and sweatshirts. At first the bid for how much repainting the Catsup Bottle would cost was around $28,000, but then it ended up costing $77,440 (Catsup). The bid at first did not include repairing, and stripping the tower before painting it. After the job was complete the Catsup Bottle was restored to the original design which included the words, “Makes everything taste better”(Catsup). The last time the Catsup Bottle was painted was June 15, 2009, and Bethel-Eckert Enterprises footed the bill (Catsup).

Awards

The Catsup Bottle water tower received the “Historic Landmark Award” in July of 1994 (Catsup). In August of 2002 it was named as the National Register of Historic Places (ILLINOIS).

Notes

Gerhart S. Suppiger, Sr. was known as “the Father of the World's Largest Catsup Bottle” (Catsup).
David Reid who was a producer for the TV series “Cheers”, included Brooks Catsup on the set of the show (Catsup

Judy DeMoisy is known as “The Catsup Bottle Lady” (Catsup).
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival was named one of the “Top 10 Quirky Local Festivals” by Time magazine (Webley).
Wade M. McCormick, a member of CBPG, wrote the song “World's Largest Bottle of Catsup” (www.worldslargesthings.com/easterntour/catsupsong) in December of 1993 (Bottle).
The World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival was named, by “Women's Day” magazine, as one of “10 Wacky Summer Festivals” (13th).
On April 27, 2007 the Catsup Bottle made it to the final four of the “Seven Wonders of Illinois” (Catsup).
On September 27, 2007 the World's Largest Catsup Bottle Summerfest was named a “Best of St. Louis 2007 Winner” by the Riverfront Times as “The Best Festival Gone Missing” because the 2007World's Largest Catsup Bottle Festival got canceled (Catsup).

References

13th Annual Catsup Bottle Festival - The Best Fest in Collinsville - July 10, 2011. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.catsupbottlefestival.com/>.

"ILLINOIS (IL), Madison County." National Register of Historical Places. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/il/Madison/state.html>.

Webley, Kayla. "The World's Largest Catsup-Bottle Festival (Collinsville, Ill.) - Top 10 Quirky Local Festivals – TIME." TIME. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1989200_1989201_1989210,00.html>.

"World's Largest Bottle of Catsup Song." Worlds Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.worldslargestthings.com/easterntour/castupsong.htm>.

World's Largest Catsup Bottle Official Web Site and Fan Club. Web. 21 Mar. 2011. <http://www.catsupbottle.com/>.