Monumental News: Historic Landmark Gets Facelift

Category: Preservation

Published Date

Written by Randy Garbin

World's Largest Catsup Bottle celebrates 60th birthday with a new paint job!

Work begins today to repaint the World's Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, Illinois. The world-famous Brooks catsup bottle water tower last received a fresh coat of paint 14 years ago. A nation-wide "Paint It" campaign by the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group raised the necessary funds to save the landmark from possible demolition and have it restored it to its original appearance. Judy DeMoisy, known as the Catsup Bottle Lady, created the preservation group in 1993, and has again coordinated the effort to get the job done. "We've been working behind the scenes for a while now," she said. "All the pieces came together late last week and it's time to get it done." One of the pieces is painter Rod Reinneck. His company, Diversified Coatings of O'Fallon, Illinois, handled the restoration of the catsup bottle in 1995. He has been contracted to do it again.

"This is an exciting, once in a lifetime opportunity," Reinneck said. "And we get to do it twice."

Unlike with the previous restoration, this time there is no need for a massive volunteer fundraising effort.

"The catsup bottle is actually owned by Bethel-Eckert Enterprises, not the city as a lot of people think," DeMoisy said. "Thanks to the generosity of Bethel-Eckert, the project is under way. We can't thank them enough for taking care of this." Public Relations Director, Mike Gassmann, the Big Tomato, reminds everyone to follow the project online. "Our web site is www.catsupbottle.com," Gassmann said. "We have a complete archive of the history, all the festivals, the media appearances, everything ever having to do with the catsup bottle." Photos and reports will be posted to the blog so fans around the world can follow the progress.

Highway 99 - (A Window to the West's Recent History)

Written by Al Sollinger

Highway 99, was the main north–south highway of "The West" until 1964. Beginning in Calexico, California at the Baja California, Mexico at the U.S. ...

Written on 03 February 2012
0 comment(s) · Read More
This Old Building

Written by Teri Dunn Chace

Here in Upstate New York, there are a lot of (potentially) beautiful old Main Streets, lined mostly or completely with handsome old brick buildings fr...

Written on 02 February 2012
4 comment(s) · Read More
Draper Mountain Wayside, US 11 S of Pulaski VA

Written by Tom Hoffman

Here are two views of another of Virginia's "Waysides," which once served motorists the way "rest areas" do now on the interstates. Ho...

Written on 28 January 2012
0 comment(s) · Read More
"The Artist" and "The Theatre"

Written by Sue Clarendon

“The Artist” is a charming movie, deserving of all the Golden Globes awards it received, and then some. (Watching that otherwise uninspired awar...

Written on 23 January 2012
0 comment(s) · Read More
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Robbinsville NC

Written by Tom Hoffman

This is a memorial plaque to Joyce Kilmer, famous for the poem "Trees." The name is a pseudonym, and in fact Joyce Kilmer was a man. He died in action...

Written on 28 December 2011
0 comment(s) · Read More