December 4, 2000
 

Another slight variation of the yellow and red ACL Nehi bottle contains these markings on the back in yellow ACL: BOTTLE STERILIZED/BEFORE FILLING/(oval outline) with ...d Appr/(star)/Good Houskeeping/Bureau/KEEPING.../(below oval) PROPERTY OF/NEHI BOTTLING CO./EL PASO, ... The heel was embossed 4455 66, and the base was embossed 23 I-in-an-oval-superimposed-on-an-elongated-diamond 9/DESIGN/PAT'D/MAR. 3, 25.

The "9" indicates a manufacture in 1939. Since the local bottling company changed its name to the Nehi-Royal Crown Bottling Co. in 1941, this is the earliest ACL Nehi bottle for El Paso that I have seen. Its date range, then, extends from 1939 to 1941.
 

Collection: UTEP archaeology (Lower Valley investigation)