Dr Pepper was first served in 1885 in the small town of Waco, Texas. It has since grown to be one of the most reputable and popular soft drinks in existence. Dr Pepper was created by Charles Alderton, a pharmacist at the corner drug store in Waco. While he spent most of his time mixing medicine for the people of his town, he became very intrigued by the soda fountain and carbonated drinks.

He began keeping journals and experimenting with different flavored syrup combinations. After numerous attempts, Alderton found the perfect mixture. Dr Pepper quickly became a hit with the town people and many would ask Alderton to “shoot them a ‘Waco’!” Dr Pepper received its name from Wade Morrison (the Waco drug store owner) but it is uncertain on how it came to mind. Other soda fountain workers in Waco began purchasing the popular syrup from Morrison and Alderton. Soon this became a problem because the two men couldn’t keep up with the demand of the famous drink. Luckily, a beverage chemist named Robert Lazenby came to the rescue. In 1891, the Artesian Manufacturing and Bottling Company was opened by Morrison and Lazenby. This company later became known as the Dr Pepper Company. Dr Pepper debuted to the world at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.