Dearborn Museum Lecture About Vernor’s March 4
If you’re from Michigan, we all have some type of memory or story about Vernor’s Ginger Ale, America’s oldest continuously produced soft drink. Ours goes back to the Saunders store that once operated in Dearborn’s Westborn Mall.
Vernor's Ginger Ale is America's oldest continuously produced soft drink. A lecture on the history of the drink is being held at the Dearborn Historical Museum on March 4.
There patrons could order a tasty Vernor’s float while sitting at the horseshoe shaped counter. My pals and I would go there there after our paper routes. Those days are long gone but the tasty drink remains, albeit minus the glass bottles which somehow always made Vernor’s taste better.
The Dearborn Historical Museum is hosting a free public lecture about the history of Vernor’s at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4. If you have time, it could prove to be an interesting lecture.
Vernor’s is a great American story whose history goes back before Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Hires or Moxie.
It was James Vernor who created the drink. Vernor opened a pharmacy in Detroit and then a barrel of ginger ale extract he had created before the Civil War, which he returned from, the story goes, in 1866.
He discovered the four years of aging had mellowed the taste to perfection. A new deliciously different flavor had been created and Vernor’s Ginger Ale was born. From a small drugstore in Detroit to a product enjoyed across America and Canada. The lecture will bring to life the story of a small back-room product turned into a highly successful brand.
At more than 140 years old, Vernor’s remains America’s oldest continuously produced soft drink. Lecture attendees will be taken on a journey from pharmacy to factory, from entrepreneur to franchised corporation.
For more information about the lecture at the McFadden-Ross House, 915 Brady Street, call 313-565-3000.
February 14th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Should be an interesting lecture, as this should be a real feel good success story.
February 14th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Who could forget those famous Vernor’s floats! How many of us have also shipped boxes of Vernors to friends and relatives that moved out of the area and were unable to get it. Maybe they don’t taste quite as good as they once did because of the plastic bottles!
February 14th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
While Vernor’s still tastes better than most other sodas even if it’s in plastic bottles and cans, back in the old days the bottle stated, ‘Aged 4 Years in Wood’. Now both plastic bottles and cans say, ‘Aged in Oak Barrels’. Either way, it’s my favorite soda and the only thing better than a Verrnors’ as Deep says is a Vernor’s float from Sanders from begone days.
February 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am
I think they have the best tasting diet soda on the market also, I agree there’s nothing better than a Boston Cooler except an A&W ROOT BEER FLOAT.
February 15th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Well, at least one can now say Vernors and A&W Root beer, among otheres, is once again an American holding after last May’s spinoff from the United Kingdom’s Cadbury PLC.
http://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/brands/
Anything more than that is just energy spent on retrospect navel-gazing of little relevance, value for the Trivial Pursuit time squanderers and the feel good populous.
February 15th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
OK LX, we’ll end this retrospective navel gazing of little relevance as soon as you meet with me for a Vernor’s and A&W Root Beer float in one of the many Sanders in DTWD. 🙂
February 15th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I don’t know have you guys ever tried navel gazing?
February 18th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Another unique, favored former local pop company was Faygo with my favorite brands of Red Pop and Rock and Rye. Their jingle still rings in my head of “Which way did he go, which way did he go, he went for Faygo Old Fashioned Root Beerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”.
I’ll save the 5 Mile and Mack get your money back Roy OBrien for later.