Chapter Directory

1957

IT HAPPENED IN…1957

Farm production exceeded 1956’s record crop yield.

Employment was high most of the year with factory workers averaging $2.08 per hour.

Racial violence prompted President Eisenhower to send 1000 U.S. paratroopers to enforce the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first Earth satellite. Stunned politicians, scientists, and educators called for the U.S. to regain superiority in space technology.

Scientific research established a link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer.

The Dalles Dam opened on the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington states.

The Boeing 707 airliner made its first flight.

Baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, and the New York Giants moved to San Francisco.

Musicals “West Side Story” and “The Music Man” opened on Broadway.

Twenty-two year old Elvis Presley purchased Graceland in Memphis for $100,000. Later in the year he received a draft notice to join the U.S. Army.

Ricky Nelson sang “I’m Walkin’” by Fats Domino on “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” television show.

Buddy Holly and the Crickets recorded “That’ll Be The Day.”

Berry Gordy founded Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan.

Network television premieres included “Wagon Train,” “M Squad,” “Perry Mason,” “Maverick,” “The Real McCoys,” “Leave It To Beaver,” “Zorro,” “Have Gun – Will Travel,” and “Sea Hunt.”

Newly introduced products and inventions included Wham-O Frisbees, Ford’s Edsel, and Tang.

Toyota began exporting vehicles to the U.S.

The soft drink industry used over 700 million cardboard six-pack cartons.

5,078 U.S. soft drink bottling plants were in operation. Per capita consumption was 189.2 bottles.

(Figure 1957-01, The American Soft Drink Journal, January, 1957)

The original company-owned bottling and syrup plant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was closed in March, 1957.

The surface texture of this 15.0" long, 13.0" wide, 12.0" tall picnic cooler is paper mache-like.

(Figure 1957-02, cardboard picnic cooler, side)

(Figure 1957-02, cardboard picnic cooler, end with lid in place)

This blue and white vinyl carrying case or travel bag was premium item available to Hires customers for a very small charge.

(Figure 1957-03, vinyl carrying case or travel bag)

This back-lit, electric, wall clock was manufactured by the PAM Clock Company of Brooklyn, New York. An electric motor powered the clock and two incandescent light bulbs illuminated the clock face.

(Figure 1957-04, electric wall clock)

This clear glass mug has a red and white ACL logo. A larger version measuring 4.5” tall x 2.875” in diameter was also produced.

(Figure 1957-05, clear glass mug, 3.25" tall, 2.25" diameter)

(Figure 1957-06, plastic sign, 12.0” x 16.5”)

Here's an artist’s rendering of a draft beer style fountain glass with a white ACL Hires logo and a syrup line:

(Figure 1957-07, paper sign)

And here's the actual glass:

(Figure 1957-08, fountain glass)

A series of brightly-colored paper signs pictured ACL Hires draft beer style fountain glasses. Note the incorporation of blue stripes.

(Figure 1957-09, paper sign, 22.0” x 7.0”)

(Figure 1957-10, paper sign, 22.0” x 7.0”)

(Figure 1957-10.5, paper sign, 22.0” x 7.0”)

(Figure 1957-11, paper sign, 22.0” x 7.0”)

Briefly during 1957 Hires ACLs featured the word "Hires" horizontally in white across the necks of pint and quart bottles. The introduction of blue stripes and the trapezoid logo brought this design to a quick demise.

(Figure 1957-11.5, full ACL quart bottle, front and back)

This full-page, color advertisement illustrated Hires’ new six-pack carton featuring “cool blue stripes.” Note the major logo revision with Hires in yellow and blue inside a trapezoid.

(Figure 1957-12, The American Soft Drink Journal, May, 1957)

(Figure 1957-12.5 The Windsor Star, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, May 29, 1957)

(Figure 1957-13, trade magazine advertisement, June 1957)

The cloth patches worn by delivery drivers were updated with the new logo and stripes.

(Figure 1957-13.5, cloth back patch, 8.25" x 6.0")

This pennant-shaped, paper sign included the new Hires logo and blue stripes theme.

(Figure 1957-14, paper sign)

(Figure 1957-15, paper sandwich bag, front and back, 7.0” x 6.0”)

Sandwich bags were folded in half vertically (note the crease marks in Figure 1957-15) for shipping and displayed for usage by customers in these 9.0" x 3.75" paper bags.

(Figure 1957-16, sandwich bag shipping and display bag, front and back)

Drive-in restaurant signs were updated with the “new cool blue stripes” and Hires inside a trapezoid logo.

(Figure 1957-17, cardboard drive-in sign, front, 5.0” x 6.5”)

(Figure 1957-17, cardboard drive-in sign, back, 5.0” x 6.5”)

This metal, chalkboard sign reads “Drink Hires Root Beer” in French. It was used by a baseball team in Waterloo, Quebec, Canada, and is dated 1957.

(Figure 1957-18, metal, chalkboard sign, 19.0” x 26.75”)

The bottles in the pictured six-pack carton have an ACL Hires in a trapezoid logo on the shoulder.

(Figure 1957-19, The American Soft Drink Journal, September, 1957)

Blue stripes and the Hires logo inside a trapezoid were steadily implemented companywide, evidence this business card for William J. Burns, Hires’ Washington, D.C. Branch Manager.

(Figure 1957-20, business card, 3.5” x 2.0”)

The large-sized "Hires to You!" giveaway pencils were updated with blue stripes and the Hires logo inside a trapezoid (see Figure 1954-09.5). This example also advertised the Hires plant at "76 Tolland Street, Hartford, Conn., Phone JAckson 8-0376."

(Figure 1957-20.5, large-sized pencil, 7.75”)

(Figure 1957-21, metal sign, 15.0” x 15.0”)

(Figure 1957-21.5, metal chalkboard sign, 29.5” x 15.5”)

(Figure 1957-22, pinback button, 3.0” diameter)

(Figure 1957-23, easel-backed, domed, counter sign, 9.0” diameter)

(Figure 1957-23.5, embossed tin sign, 19.0” x 29.0")

The bottom edge of this sign is marked "TOTAL PRODUCTION - 925 AUTHORIZED BY MONARCH COMPANY, INC. MFG BY STOUT SIGN CO. © ST. LOUIS, MO. USA 9716121."

(Figure 1957-24, embossed metal sign, 18.0” x 27.0”)

(Figure 1957-24.5, cardboard poster, 12.5.0” x 28.0”)

Note the ACL Hires lettering inside a trapezoid logo on the shoulder of this 57.0" x 18.0" die-cut, embossed, tin, bottle-shaped sign.

(Figure 1957-25, die-cut, embossed, tin sign)

This paper label is affixed to the back of the sign:

(Figure 1957-25, die-cut, embossed, tin sign, label on back)

Continuing to target the teenage market, a “Hires ‘Teleteen’ Contest” was launched offering teenagers the opportunity to “COMPLETE THE JINGLE” and “WIN YOUR VERY OWN TELEPHONE AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.” Entry blanks and rules were printed on hangers that were available with the purchase of a six-pack carton of Hires Root Beer.

(Figure 1957-26, paper poster, 9.0" x 24.0")

This plastic-faced, neon sign was originally produced in conjunction with the "Hires to You!" marketing campaign. In 1957 someone updated it by affixing a "drink Hires" decal featuring stripes and a "Since 1876" ACL behind the clock's hands. The upper and lower portions of the sign both light up.

(Figure 1957-27, neon sign, 30.0" wide x 46.0" high x 7.0" deep)

Hires expanded their product line during 1957 to include a variety of flavored sodas that were bottled and sold as "Purock Beverages." The red on white ACL on this 12 ounce, flint glass bottle is somewhat faded and shows considerable case wear from heavy usage. The base bears an embossed 1957 age code. This attempt to bottle flavored beverages wasn't successful, but the idea lived on leading to the introduction of six Hires flavors by the firm's new owners in 1961 (see Figure 1961-14).

(Figure 1957-28, Purock Beverages ACL, 12 ounces)

For the fiscal year ending September 30, 1957, Hires reported net sales of $9,629,978 and produced a $265,387 net profit.