Life, 1907-07-04 · page 48 of 48
Life — July 4, 1907 — page 48: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement for Hiawatha Natural Mineral Spring Water, not satire. The ad uses the name and imagery of Native American culture—specifically referencing Longfellow's "Song of Hiawatha" (1855)—to market bottled spring water. The design features a Native American figure in traditional dress alongside bottles, and emphasizes the product's purity and prestige through claims of "one hundred years" of quality. The building shown is described as the "finest, most perfectly equipped" bottling plant. This reflects early 1900s marketing practices where Native American imagery was appropriated to suggest natural origins and authenticity, regardless of actual connection to Native peoples. The ad lists global distributors across major US cities and international locations, positioning Hiawatha as a premium, cosmopolitan beverage served "at every first-class hotel, cafe, restaurant, buffet."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
July 4, 1907 — ee The Home of Hiawatha. The finest, most perfectly equipped, sanitary Spring Water Bottl in the World. Constructed of Stone, Re-enforced Concrete, Steel, Glass and White Marble. Bottled at the Spring Order Hiawatha Today Distributors: | Baste Qnae New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Superior if iT THE SPRING 1807] ly AGENTS: \ ENGLAND CANADA, may Rowiett @ Oocding LaPorte, Martin @ Cle, Ltee, a Marca a Calloridt London ‘Montreal ‘uss PORTO RICO CUBA Banchez, Morales @ Co Vinds de Sosa Sarrne Hilo lorie San Juan Havana Aley ind: 78 In addition to the above we have distributors in South America, Australia and all large cities throughout the world.