White Rock Beverages or also known as White Rock Products Corporation, is a beverage company situated in Whitestone, Queens, New York City. One hundred forty years ago, Potawatomi Indians and settlers believed that the water coming from the White Rock natural spring possess special medicinal powers.
In this article, we are going to know more about White Rock Beverages and how it started from just being a hotel and becoming one of United State’s biggest beverage manufacturer.
History
As we mentioned, White Rock Beverages was founded in 1871 by a pharmacist named H.M Colver when he purchased the White Rock natural spring and the 60 acres of land surrounding it. He then built a hotel and pavilion on the site. However, when people started believing that the sparkling water that is coming from the spring has like some kind of medicinal power, the location attracted health enthusiasts and vacationers from all across the country. That is why in 1876, the company took it as an opportunity and started to bottle and distribute the natural spring water all over the United States.
The Iconic Psyche Painting
When the executives of White Rock attended the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893, they saw a painting named “Psyche at Nature’s Mirror,” It was done by a German artist named Paul Thumann. The executives thought that the topless and kneeling nymph perfectly symbolizes White Rock’s purity and its crystal-clear water pool. That is why they decided to buy the artwork and acquire trademark rights so that they can make Psyche the White Rock mascot.
In 1894, Psyche first made her appearance on the White Rock mineral water bottle. Since then, she appeared on millions of cans and bottles of White Rock’s sparkling water, ginger ale, and tonic water for several decades. The image became very popular to the point that American women started to adopt Psyche’s hairstyle and called it the “Psyche’s Knot.”
In 1940, White Rock Beverage gave Psyche a make-over by giving her a little bit thinner and taller look with a new blondish hairdo. The new Psyche was seen in print ads telling people about the purity and the quality of White Rock’s mineral water.
An Iconic Endorser
Back in 1915, White Rock Beverages decided to use Santa Claus in their advertisements. They portrayed Santa in different holiday spots while drinking their sparkling water. Later in 1923, the company used Santa again to sell its ginger ale products.
You might think that Coca-Cola is the first to use Santa in advertisements, but you’re mistaken. White Rock has been using Santa years before Coca-Cola thought of it.
White Rock Beverage Today
Today, White Rock Beverages markets and manufactures not just sparkling water beverages, but also fruit juices. They have cranberry, grapefruit, Yakima grape, raspberry lemon, fuji apple, and tangerine passion fruit beverages. They serve and distribute their products throughout the United States and in several overseas markets.