Top 5 at the Dr Pepper Museum

 Previously:

Top 5 at the National Videogame Museum

There's no official state beverage of Texas but if there were, it would probably be Dr Pepper.  It's constantly consumed across the state and across the world but it got its start in Waco.  Everybody has heard the origin story of its humble beginnings as a mixture of 23 flavors at the Old Corner Drug Store and the many urban legends that surround the legendary elixir.   

But the record is set straight at Waco's Dr Pepper Museum where history and memorabilia are on display for thirsty enthusiasts to peruse.  It had been years since my last visit so on a recent trip to Waco, I decided  to stop by and pick my top 5 favorites of the collection.

5.  Football Shaped Cooler

There are a lot of coolers from over the years that are displayed at the museum but this one caught my eye.    I've always been a fan of the "things shaped as other things" genre and this one just seems to set the stage for a fun time.  I imagine events elevated from "picnic" to "party" status when one of these bad boys was packed with ice cold Dr Pepper and Big Red.

4.  Hot Dr Pepper Pot

Years ago, there was a big push to serve warm Dr Pepper as a seasonal treat.  I even whipped up a batch last Christmas.  Part of the promotion involved releasing this Hot Dr Pepper Pot as a way to make it even easier to prepare and serve mug after mug at a winter get-together.  I think Hot Dr Pepper is a treat whose time hasn't yet come.  I predict that someday hot DP will take its place among the coffees and hot cocoas of the world.

3.  Iron Man Vending Machine

Dr Pepper has had a ton of superhero movie related promotions including the Iron Man movies.  In one commercial a janitor at Tony Stark's compound attempts to try on an Iron Man suit and ends up inside an Iron Man Dr Pepper Vending Machine.  The prop from that commercial is on display at the museum with plenty of signs warning visitors to NOT touch and that it's not an actual vending machine. 

2.  Dr Pepper Land Cruiser

It's hard to tell the scale in this picture but this thing is pretty big.  The museum describes it as a "space-age go-kart" and was released in 1985 to celebrate the soda's 100th anniversary.  I assume this is just the body because I don't see any wheels and hover technology wasn't too advanced in the 80s (despite what you might have heard).  I can imagine being the coolest kid at the race track when pulling up in this beauty.

1.  Dr Pepper Nautilus Cooler

Another cooler?  That's right, but this gets our top spot because most of the world seems to have forgotten that Dr Pepper Nautilus ever existed.  It was an early 90s sports drink that was meant to compete with Gatorade but there's hardly any information about it on the internet.  In order to get a good look at any Nautilus memorabilia you'll have to take a road trip to Waco...which is fitting since that's where it all began...

Matchbook Memories: Aquarena Springs

Previously:

Matchbook Memories: Buckhorn Saloon

Matchbook Memories: Pig Stand

Yes, the touristy mecca that was once known as Aquarena Springs still exists in some form today and, yes, they are doing good, educational work but for those of us who were there in its heyday, there is nothing like the original product.  Which brings us to our next Matchbook Memory:

In case you're not familiar, Aquarena Springs was a magical tourist destination in Central Texas where pigs swam, mermaids drank soda under water and...I don't know, do you really need more than that?

There were also glass bottom boats and a hundred other cool things that Disneyland couldn't come close to touching. At some point it went out of business and now exists as a part of the Meadows Center For Water and the Environment and is run by the state.

Pretty much all that remains from before are the glass bottom boat rides with more of a focus on education instead of finding dead bodies in the river.  But of course, we can always relive the good old days via vintage postcards from the 80's:

You can see on the map below that the park was surprisingly sprawling and a lot of care went into providing unique attractions.  Also worth noting in the map are artistic renditions of a dwarf salamander (which was one of the native wildlife boasted to be thriving in the park) and the star of Aquarena Springs, Ralph the swimming/diving pig!

With the heyday of the park in the past, mementos like these are the best way to remember the charm of an old school roadside destination.