Virginia Town Claims to Be the Birthplace of Dr Pepper, NOT Waco, Texas
Have us in Texas been lied to our whole lives? Is Dr Pepper actually from Virginia?!
Dr Pepper Day in Rural Retreat, Virginia?
For some reason, I discovered the small town of Rural Retreat, Virginia this week and their annual Dr Pepper Day event that happened over the weekend. I was like, that's pretty strange to have a Dr Pepper Day in this random town and not in Waco, Texas which we consider the birthplace of the popular soda. Turns out, this town believes they have the rights to the Dr Pepper invention.
Charles Alderton, Inventor of Dr Pepper in Waco, Texas in 1885
We have all heard how famous Waco is for being the birthplace of Dr Pepper in 1885. That man above invented it all those years ago. However, Charles Alderton alledgedly DOES have a connection to Rural Retreat, Virginia with a man actually named Dr. Pepper according to stories.
The story goes that before Alderton invented Dr Pepper. A man by the name of Wade Morrison lived in Rural Retreat, Virginia and worked for Dr. Charles T. Pepper at his pharmacy. Dr. Pepper at his pharmacy began mixing mountain herbs, roots and seltzer into a fizzy brew that him and Morrison produced and sold at the pharmacy. Allegedly, Morrison started a relationship with Dr. Pepper's daughter and he was fired. Morrison then moved to Waco, Texas to open his own pharmacy.
Here Is Where the Story Gets Fishy
No one can confirm or deny what happened in Waco, Texas once Morrison moved there. Some in Rural Retreat believe Morrison gave Alderton the idea for Dr Pepper after the drink he was making at the Rural Retreat Pharmacy. Alderton was working for Morrison at his pharmacy in Waco and that is where the drink was first sold.
Some say Morrison never worked for Dr Pepper and this is all made up. However, several stories online seem to confirm these rumors. People believe the drink was named Dr Pepper in the hopes of winning approval from the real Dr. Pepper in the hopes that Morrison could date his daughter. The actual Dr Pepper website does mention this, but not that Dr. Pepper also made his own fizzy drink in Rural Retreat, Virginia. Some in Rural Retreat believe that fizzy drink made in their town is the ORIGINAL Dr Pepper and what was made in Waco is just a recreation of their drink.
With over a century between the original invention, I doubt the real truth comes out. However, Rural Retreat has a Dr Pepper Day every year to celebrate being the birthplace of the actual Dr. Pepper.
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