Valley Bell Dairy Company
1921—1987
Valley Bell Dairy Company formed as a merger between Tip Top Dairy and the Lewis Brothers’ dairy (Valley Bell Dairy Co., 1921). It seems the Lewis brothers were at the head of the company (“New Dairy,” 1922). West Virginia Secretary of State records show the company formally organized on June 10, 1921. Its first dairy plant, a brick building that costed $75,000 to construct ($1.3 million, inflation adjusted), was located on Roane Street near Delaware Avenue (“New Dairy”, 1922). Its address is later identified as 508 Roane Street (“Two Holdups”, 1932). At this same time, they had a store at 1218 Washington Street East.
The West Virginia Secretary of State records show that this company dissolved in 1987, forming a merger between all of its branch companies.
Valley Bell, by far, has the greatest number of pyro variants out of any other West Virginia dairy company. I cannot be sure as to why they invested so much in having a wide variety of bottles, but such a great number of different variants indicates the company did quite well. So well, in fact, that it survived to today as
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Half-pint, round, embossed. Likely the earliest design. Circle slug plate w/ pictorial bell.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Pint, round, embossed w/ pictorial bell and neck ribs.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Pint, round, embossed w/ pictorial bell and "V" over bell on reverse. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red and yellow pyro painted label. "King Baby" reverse. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, blue and red pyro painted label. George Washington graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. George Washington graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, blue and red pyro painted label. Uncle Sam graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Uncle Same graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. War Bonds graphic w/ soldier on flag. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. War Bonds graphic on reverse. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Sane driving graphic, no phone number on front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Sofkurd baby's first steps graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Boxing kid graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Neighborly conversation graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, red pyro painted label. Sofkurd wreath. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Pint, round, red pyro painted label. "Worry Worry" graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Pint, round, red pyro painted label. Crossword graphic. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Half-pint, round, red pyro painted label. Ice cream advertisement. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, round, orange pyro painted label, squatty. 3¢ deposit. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, square, red pyro painted label. Ice cream advertisement. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, square, red pyro painted label. Butterflake buttermilk advertisement. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Amber, quart, square, white pyro painted label. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Amber, quart, square, white pyro painted label. 3¢ deposit. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, square, orange pyro painted label. A strange example with the slogan and shoulder bells painted over. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Half-pint, square, orange pyro painted label. 3¢ deposit. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Gallon, square, red pyro painted label. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Half-gallon, square, red pyro painted label. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Quart, square, red pyro painted label. Early design.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Salt shaker, red pyro painted label. Ice cream ad on back. Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston baby milk bottle. Red pyro painted label. Left.
Center.
Right.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Creamery, round, red pyro painted label. "Laboratory Controlled Products." Front.
Reverse.
Valley Bell Dairy Co., Charleston milk bottle. Creamery, round, red pyro painted label. "Quality Chek'd." Front.
Reverse.
References
New dairy plant to be opened here this week. (1922, June 4). The Charleston Daily Mail, 21.
Two holdups occur in city. (1932, June 26). The Charleston Daily Mail, 1.
Valley Bell Dairy Company. (1921, September 4). The cow—Valley Bell—you [advertisement]. Charleston Daily Mail, 38.
Valley Bell Dairy Company. (1931, July 1). Announcement [advertisement]. Charleston Daily Mail, 7.
West Virginia Secretary of State (2025). Business entity details: Valley Bell Dairy Company. https://apps.wv.gov/SOS/BusinessEntitySearch/Details.aspx?Id=v2nR1CxAQKfVoyuJWJUlJw==&Search=Ma9njWKM0mXwkogvKiQGWA%3d%3d&Page=0