City Directories and History: Historically, this was known as the Clayton Bottling concern and later took on the name of Shivar Springs Bottling Company at Shelton,
R&R HISTORY LINK: SHELTON DEPOT – FERRY
S.C. It originally started in the late 19th century as a bottler of spring water which was shipped via boat for massive distribution along the east coast. Later, it began producing both ginger ale and soft drinks for local distribution. After one of the two bottling company buildings burning in the 1950’s the operation ceased.
The bottling village consisted of a number of workman’s houses, six cylindrical stuccoed stone cisterns, the bottling facilities and five dwellings. See the Shelton Community link for additional images of the area.
Shivar Spring, the site of a mineral water spring, was named for an owner N.F. Shivar. Located on secondary road |99, about a mile northeast of Shelton, Shivar’s residence is denoted on the 1908 Fairfield County map. A pamphlet advertising the benefits of the water, in the early 1900’s described the spring as flowing from a steep hill under a mass of rock. The pamphlet claimed the medicinal uses of the spring were known as early as the 1830’s but never developed. A physician, Dr. Alexander M. Newhill, of Virginia, owned the property both before and after the Civil War. For a number of years Shivar Springs, Inc., a Shelton bottling company, bottled both mineral water and soft drinks produced from the spring water. In 1916 Shivar Springs, Inc. was second only to Greenville County, which had five separate bottling companies, in the value of bottled nonalcoholic beverages produced. The company employed a daily average of 33 people in 1916. By the 1940’s the yearly sales totals were small in comparison to the large nationally marketed soft drinks bottled in the state. The name of the spring was also chosen by a nearby church, in 1920. Ida Shivar conveyed land near the old family home to Shivar Spring Baptist Church. (Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC)
“Shivar Spring is located very near Shelton, Fairfield County, forty-six miles from Columbia and forty-eight miles from Spartanburg, on the Southern Railway. A pamphlet advertises it as alkaline chalybeate mineral water and lists the analysis of its waters by M. B. Hardin, chief chemist. Dated July 6,1908, it was guaranteed under the Food and Drugs Act June 30, 1906. Pages one and two contain a House Resolution.
Postal Map from 1896, showing the locations of the P.O. sites in western Fairfield County. Courtesy of the Un. of N.C.
“Mr. Daniel “Resolved by the House of Representatives That its thanks be and the same are hereby tendered the Shivar Spring of Shelton, Fairfield County, S. C., for the excellent quality of water furnished its members during the session of 1909. This water is hereby commended to all who are in need of a pure mineral water of medicinal properties. proposed the following: “Resolved, further, That this testimonial be spread on the pages of the Journal and a copy forwarded to ‘The Shivar Spring’.” “Upon immediate consideration being asked for, the House agreed to the Resolution.”
Courtesy of the Patrick – Russell Store Collection, 2016
Information from: Names in South Carolina by C.H. Neuffer, Published by the S.C. Dept. of English, USC
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Courtesy of the Fairfield Co Museum – 2015
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- Bottle found near Guthrieville, S.C. (York Co., S.C.) in 2016 – Images courtesy of Karen Kennedy
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Walking property I’m McConnells, SC (with permission) my son found a green Shiver bottle in excellent condition. Trying to see if any history with the area near Rock Hill SC.
Please send R&R an image of the bottle and we can hopefully assist in furnishing information.
I remember soft drinks from Shivar Springs being sold around Winnsboro when I was a child (circa 1950-1954). I also remember not seeing them in cold drink boxes in gasoline stations and country stores much after that time. Now, I understand why – the fire and cessation of production by Shivar Springs. Thanks for solving this mystery for me.
I found a Shivar bottle in pristine condition. Could I sale it to a collector?
These were my Bouleware relatives. My G-Grandfather was William Shelton Shirley who is buried in Cool Springs baptist Church 1924. Born Shelton, SC.