[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 12, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





               WILTON LANNING: CUSTODIAN OF A TEXAS ICON

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 12, 2018

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, this year, the state of Texas mourned 
the loss of Wilton Lanning, the founder of the Dr Pepper Museum and 
W.W. Clements Free Enterprise Institute in Waco.
   Texas is a state rich with history, and certain people, places, and 
objects have become cultural icons. The Alamo, Sam Houston, Friday 
night lights, and country music, to name a few are all woven into the 
fabric of Texas.
   The popular soda Dr Pepper is one such Texas icon. While the 
refreshing, sweet beverage has become a hit with consumers around the 
world, Texans retain a special connection to the brand. Nowhere is this 
bond stronger than in Waco, where the soda was originally created in a 
corner drug store in the late 1800's.
   Although the company had moved on from its original location as its 
business continued to grow, Lanning sought to bring the iconic brand 
back to Waco. He set his sights on a disused building, an abandoned 
bottling facility, in downtown Waco to house a nonprofit museum 
dedicated to the heritage and history of the beloved soda.
   The odds were stacked against him. The city of Waco had still not 
completely recovered from the brutal tornado that tore through the city 
in 1953, and the neighborhood Lanning had his eyes on was run down and 
bereft of economic or social vitality. The building itself had been 
declared ``blighted'' by the city of Waco, hardly the ideal spot for a 
shrine of a world-famous soda product.
   There were more than a few naysayers, but Lanning did not let the 
doubters deter him. Instead, he took initiative to garner support from 
the Dr Pepper Company and convinced them to sell the building in 1988 
with the purpose of converting it into a museum. The renovation began 
in 1990, and Lanning oversaw the conversion of the old, decrepit 
building into an exhibition dedicated to Dr Pepper.
   The museum opened to the public on May 11, 1991, 38 years to the day 
after the devastating tornado swept through Waco. 10,000 visitors 
passed through on the first day, and they continued to come. The museum 
itself continued to expand from humble origins, and in 1997, the entire 
building was open to the public. In the same year, Lanning also helped 
launch the W.W. Clements Free Enterprise Institute, an organization 
housed in the museum dedicated to educating visitors on the American 
economic system as personified in the soft drinks industry. Today, the 
museum has become a pilgrimage site for Dr Pepper aficionados from 
Texas and beyond, an essential institution to promoting the history and 
culture of our great state.
   None of this would have been possible without Mr. Lanning's 
leadership and vision. He will be missed not only for his role in the 
Dr Pepper Museum but also as an active, industrious citizen. He served 
his community with unrivaled passion and zeal as an Eagle Scout, a 50-
year veteran of the Rotary Club, and an expert on Waco's history. Above 
all, however, the people of Waco and Texas will miss him as a friend 
and one whose unceasing optimism inspired those around him to be 
positive.
   Mr. Speaker, Wilton Lanning left an admirable example to imitate, 
and he embodied the best values of our citizenry. So next time you 
crack open a cold Dr Pepper, raise your glass to Mr. Lanning, a 
custodian of a Texas icon.
   And that is just the way it is.

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