The Hildebrandt Story: Manufacturing Coca-Cola in Grayslake

Each of the thousands of artifacts within the has a story to tell, including the small table set in the upper gallery of the museum from the Hildebrandt Drug Store.

Philip Hildebrandt was born in Pipersville, Wisconsin on May 1, 1892. At some point in his early life, he moved to Illinois.  

In October 1917, "Doc," as Hildebrandt became known, purchased a Grayslake drug store from Florence Druce. Doc had become a registered pharmacist, had gotten married and had an infant son. The store was located in the former bank building at the southeast corner of Lake and Center Streets.

Druce had bought her drug store in 1921 and Doc became a pharmacist in Waukegan and later, in Chicago. Doc wanted his own drug store, so in 1929 he opened one in the former Bixler building at the northeast corner of Lake and Center Streets. 

Two years later, he moved his business to the Strows/Strang building  at 141 Center Street. Then in 1940, Doc moved to the former Grayslake Hotel at 229 Center Street and stayed there until 1943 when he sold his drug store to Del Hook. 

Doc, his wife Maude and son Phil Jr. lived at 18 S Lake Street in the 1904 house built for Dr. John Palmer. It was in the carriage house of this residence that Doc produced Coca-Cola.

In 1923, he acquired a franchise to be the exclusive manufacturer of Coca-Cola in the area. He also manufactured other flavors of soda pop. His operation included a machine that could clean over 900 bottles an hour, an automatic bottle filler and a carbonating machine that could produce 300 gallons per hour. He also had a delivery service. 

Doc’s venture into making soda pop only lasted about a year, for some unknown reason. Unfortunately, very few Coca-Cola bottles that were produced in Grayslake still exist. 

The Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum has a Coca-Cola bottle cap on display in the permanent gallery, “Embracing Change, the Growth of Grayslake.” 

The sports exhibit, “Leave Nothing on the Field” has a very small baseball glove which belonged to Phil Hildebrandt Jr. on display.

The soda fountain table and chairs, Coca-Cola bottle cap and baseball glove, mementos of the Hildebrandt connection to Grayslake, can be viewed at the Heritage Center and Museum on Wednesdays, noon to 7 p.m. and on Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m.

The information for this article was obtained from the Archives of the Grayslake Historical Society. The Archives are open to the public on Thursdays from 11 a.m.  to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

Call the Historical Society at 847-223-7663, the Heritage Center at 847-543-1745 for details, of visit the Grayslake Historical Society Facebook page.

 
- Contributed by the Grayslake Historical Society.