The Bottling Plant is adjacent to the historical district in downtown Rocky Mount, North Carolina, which provides a wide variety of opportunities for fun, recreation, shopping, learning, and inspiration. Art galleries, museums, and performing art theatres, plus cafes and restaurants, shopping, and city parks offer many activities for all making this great place to start a new business or relocate an existing one. Read more about this up and coming community at downtownrockymount.com
Transportation
Don’t feel like driving? Take public transport. The Amtrak Rocky Mount station and Bus terminal is across the street from our building.
Train
North Carolina’s Amtrak Local Trains
North Carolina’s Amtrak is a fleet of two state supported trains, thePiedmont and Carolinian which provide six trains daily to Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte and nine other North Carolina cities.
Amtrak National Thru Trains
Five thru trains including the Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor and Silver Star make selected city stops through the state on their way to destinations south to New Orleans and Miami and north Washington D.C. and New York.
For the most up to date schedule and route information, please visit amtrak.com
Bus
For the most up to date schedule and route information, please visit rockymountnc.gov
| Route # | Route Name | Area Served |
| 1 | MEADOWBROOK | Downtown Rocky Mount, Edgecombe Community College, Eastern Avenue Park, Oakwood Shopping Center, Thorne Ridge Apartments, Weeks Armstrong Apartments, Eckerd’s Corner |
| 2 | OAKWOOD | Downtown Rocky Mount, US Post Office/Main Branch, East Rocky Mount Kidney Center, Edgecombe DSS, Oakwood Shopping Center |
| 3 | SOUTH ROCKY MOUNT | Downtown Rocky Mount, S. Church Street, Kingston Avenue, Raleigh Road, Rolling Meadows Apartments |
| 4 | HILLSDALE | O.R. Pope Elementary, Edgecombe Shopping Center, Fairview – E. Grand – Raleigh Street Connection, Weeks Armstrong Apartments, Martin Luther King Park, Leggett Road |
| 5 | GOLDEN EAST | Hunter Hill Road, Wal-Mart, Golden East Mall, Braswell Memorial Public Library |
| 6 | RAVENWOOD | Raleigh Road, West End Terrace Apartments, Burton Street, Ravenwood Drive, Kingston Avenue, S. Church Street |
| 7 | SUNSET | Sunset Avenue, Holiday Inn – Gateway, Rocky Mount Medical Center, Nash General Hospital |
| 8 | NASH COMMUNITY COLLEGE/LITTLE EASONBURG SHUTTLE |
Downtown Rocky Mount, Rocky Mount Senior High, Edwards Jr. High, Little Easonburg, McIntyre Acres, Nash Community College |
| 9 | BATTLEBORO/ GOLDROCK SHUTTLE |
Downtown Rocky Mount, TCI, Wal-Mart, Golden East Mall, Hospira, Battleboro Community Center, Goldrock |
| 10 | ROCKY MOUNT EAST | Transit Center to and from Rollinwood Manor. |
The History of the Coke-Cola Bottling Plant
Ownership
According to Nell Armstrong (nee Nell Fleming), the plant was built in 1919 and opened for business in September 1919. General Manager was Earnest I. Fleming Sr., who ran the plant until at least 1950. His son, Earnest Fleming Jr. (Nell’s father), ran the plant until 1973, which means the plant was run by the Fleming’s for 54 years. The plant was sold in 1973, and then continued as a bottling facility under Robert Faucet then Dan Treadaway until 1994 when it closed.
The city directories (1920, 1925, 1936, 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, and 1994) confirm Nell’s information. The 1995 directory shows the building as vacant. The building is on the 1923 Sanborn Map but not the 1917 map.
Note that the directories refer to the president of the company under the Fleming tenure as first J.L.Perkins then J Vance Perkins, but these individuals were investors with little involvement in day to day operations. G.H. Hutoff, then Oliver Hutoff, were heavily involved with operations as either bookkeepers or vice-presidents.
Architectural changes
According to Nell, the building was painted white. In or around 1958, the office was moved from the center of the building with the entrance on the north side to the front. The 1923 Sanborn map shows that the building was built very close to Church Street. Thus the office renovation as the front was built within the shell of the original structure. Note that the plant was built in a largely residential neighborhood, with the exception of the Hosiery Building to the west. Nell can probably provide more information as to the appearance of the building in the late 1950’s if plans and photos are provided.
© 2013