Texas Pharmacist Wanted His Drink to Taste Like the Smell of His Drugstore — And Created Dr Pepper
WACO, TEXAS — Long before soft drinks filled grocery store shelves, one Texas pharmacist had a simple but curious dream: he wanted to create a drink that tasted like the smell of his drugstore.
That man was Charles Alderton, a pharmacist working at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas, in the 1880s. Surrounded daily by the sweet scent of fruit syrups, soda fountains, and medicine, Alderton began experimenting to turn that aroma into a flavor.
He mixed different fruit and spice syrups in small batches until he captured the balance he was searching for — a taste as rich and layered as the fragrance that filled his shop. The result was a drink unlike anything anyone had ever tried before.
The Birth of Dr Pepper
In 1885, Alderton served his creation to the store’s owner, W.B. Morrison, and local customers soon lined up to taste the new soda. Its blend of 23 flavors gave it a depth and sweetness that stood apart from other fountain drinks of the time.
The concoction became so popular that it earned a name — Dr Pepper — and within a few years, it was being bottled and sold across Texas and beyond.
“He didn’t set out to create a brand,” says curators from the Dr Pepper Museum in Waco. “He simply wanted to bottle the unique atmosphere of his store — and ended up creating America’s oldest soft drink.”
Older Than Coca-Cola
What makes Dr Pepper even more remarkable is its place in beverage history. Alderton’s creation predates Coca-Cola by a full year, making it the oldest major soft drink in America.
By the early 1900s, Dr Pepper’s distinct identity — neither cola nor fruit soda — helped it stand out nationally. The brand leaned into its originality, famously promoting itself as “one of a kind.”
I didn't know Dr. Pepper was the oldest soft drink.
byu/Scott-Spangenberg ininteresting
A Legacy Still Brewing in Texas
Today, the Dr Pepper Museum preserves Alderton’s story inside the original Waco bottling plant. Visitors can see early soda-making equipment, vintage ads, and the historical roots of the drink that started it all.
“It’s the flavor of Texas ingenuity,” one museum guide remarked. “Born from the imagination of a small-town pharmacist who just wanted to make something that smelled as good as it tasted.”
From a pharmacy experiment in 1885 to a household name over a century later, Dr Pepper’s story is a testament to creativity, curiosity, and the sweet success of a bold idea.
I’ve lived in Naperville long enough to see how quickly our community changes — from new developments downtown to sudden shifts in our Midwest weather. Reporting on Naperville news and daily forecasts gives me the chance to keep neighbors informed about what really matters. My goal is simple: deliver clear, timely updates so you always know what’s happening in our city and what to expect from the skies above.