Asa Griggs Candler (December 30, 1851 – March 12, 1929) was an American business tycoon and politician who in 1888 purchased the
Coca-Cola recipe for $238.98 from chemist
John Stith Pemberton
John Stith Pemberton (July 8, 1831 – August 16, 1888) was an American pharmacist and Confederate States Army veteran who is best known as the inventor of Coca-Cola. In May 1886, he developed an early version of a beverage that would later bec ...
in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. Candler founded
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...
in 1892 and developed it as a major company.
Prominent among civic leaders of Atlanta, Candler was elected and served as the 41st Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of the city, from 1916 to 1919. Candler Field, the site of the present-day Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, was named after him, as is Candler Park
Candler Park is a 55-acre (223,000 m2) city park located at 585 Candler Park Drive NE, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is named after Coca-Cola magnate Asa Griggs Candler, who donated this land to the city in 1922. The park features a nin ...
in Atlanta. As head of Coca-Cola, he built the Candler Building in Atlanta, as well as one in Kansas City (which became known as the Western Auto Building
The Western Auto Building, first known as the Coca-Cola Building or the Candler Building, after owner Asa Griggs Candler, is located at 2107 Grand Boulevard, in the Crossroads neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. Built in 1914, it later served ...
), a Candler Building in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, and one in what is now known as the Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It was described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as "the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the world". The ...
area of Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
.
Family
Asa Griggs Candler was born on December 30, 1851, in Villa Rica, Georgia
Villa Rica (Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese translation: Rich Village) is a city in Carroll and Douglas counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. Located roughly 30 miles west of Atlanta, a decision to develop housing on a large tract of land led t ...
.[ His parents were Martha and Samuel Charles Candler, a merchant and property owner.] His parents raised eleven children, including Asa and his brother Warren Akin Candler
Warren Akin Candler (August 23, 1857 – September 25, 1941) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, elected in 1898. He was the tenth president of Emory University.
Early life
He was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, the ...
. Samuel Charles Candler was a member of the legislature of South Carolina
The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The legislature is bicameral and consists of the lower house, lowe ...
, and fought in the Creek War of 1836
The Creek War of 1836, also known as the Second Creek War or Creek Alabama Uprising, was a conflict in Alabama at the time of Indian Removal between the Muscogee Creek people and non-native land speculators and squatters.
Although the Creek pe ...
.
;Children of Asa Griggs Candler:
* Asa's eldest son, Charles Howard Candler
Charles Howard Candler Sr. (December 2, 1878 – October 1, 1957) was an American businessman and author. He was one of the few people that his father, Asa Candler, first trusted with the secret formula used to make Coca-Cola, which then included ...
(1878–1957), was chairman of the board of trustees of Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
. His family estate was Callanwolde
Callanwolde Fine Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community arts center that offers classes and workshops for all ages in visual, literary and performing arts. Special performances, gallery exhibits, outreach programs and fundraising gal ...
on Briarcliff Road Briarcliff most commonly refers to:
* Briarcliff Manor, New York, a village in Westchester County
** Briarcliff College, a college in the village that closed in 1977
** Briarcliff Farms, a dairy farm in the village and Pine Plains from 1890 to 196 ...
in Druid Hills
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census. The ...
; it has been adapted for use as a fine arts center.
* The second son, Asa G. Candler, Jr.
Asa Griggs "Buddie" Candler Jr. (August 27, 1880 – January 11, 1953, in Atlanta) was the eccentric son of Asa Griggs Candler Sr., co-founder of Coca-Cola. Candler Jr. helped build his father's business into an empire. He later became a real-es ...
(1880–1953), eccentric, alcoholic, and depressed, became a real-estate developer, opening the Briarcliff Hotel
The Briarcliff Hotel, now the Briarcliff Summit, is located at 1050 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE (original address: 750 Ponce de Leon Ave.) in the Virginia Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia.
Asa G. Candler, Jr., the eccentric son of Coca-Cola ...
. His Briarcliff mansion and estate—also on Briarcliff Road in Druid Hills—was adapted for use as an alcoholism rehab center, then a psychiatric hospital. It is now owned by Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
and used as its Briarcliff campus. Asa Jr.'s menagerie of animals enabled a major expansion of Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta (sometimes referred as Atlanta Zoo) is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoological park in Atlanta, Georgia. The current president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta is Raymond B. King.
History
Zoo Atlanta was founded in ...
in the 1930s. From 1930 to 1952, in front of the scenes or behind them, Asa was responsible for reshaping Westview Cemetery
Westview Cemetery, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest civilian cemetery in the Southeastern United States, comprising more than , 50 percent of which is undeveloped. ( Georgia National Cemetery, for military veterans and their families, ...
and building its massive Spanish Plateresque abbey.
* Only daughter Lucy
Lucy is an English feminine given name derived from the Latin masculine given name Lucius with the meaning ''as of light'' (''born at dawn or daylight'', maybe also ''shiny'', or ''of light complexion''). Alternative spellings are Luci, Luce, Luci ...
(1882–1962) married Henry Heinz, a banker and Kiwanis
Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizatio ...
president. He was shot by a burglar in their mansion, Rainbow Terrace
Rainbow Terrace, now known as Lullwater Estate, is the Mediterranean-style Atlanta mansion built for Lucy Beall Candler Owens Heinz (1882–1962), daughter of Coca-Cola co-founder Asa Griggs Candler. The architect was G. Lloyd Preacher, the ar ...
, in 1943. Rumors persisted that a relative murdered him. The widowed Lucy Candler Heinz later married cellist and conductor Enrico Leide
Enrico Leide (May 24, 1887 – July 18, 1970) was a concert cellist and orchestra conductor, conducting the first Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 1920 to 1930. He was also music director of the palatial Paramount Theater (Atlanta), Paramount T ...
. He founded a forerunner of the present Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is an American orchestra based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The ASO's main concert venue is Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center.
History
Though earlier organizations bearing the same name date b ...
.
* Third son Walter T. Candler (1885–1967) was a businessman, philanthropist, and horse sportsman. His Lullwater House
Lullwater House is the president's mansion at Emory University near Atlanta, Georgia, overlooking Candler Lake. It was built in 1926 as the residence of Walter T. Candler, son of Coca-Cola founder Asa Griggs Candler. The mansion is in the form of a ...
and estate has been adapted for use as the residence of the Emory University President. Another portion is a park, and other land is the site of a Veterans Administration
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers and ...
complex in Druid Hills. Walter T. Candler had one daughter.
* Youngest son William Candler (1890–1936), was the local financier of the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Apartments
The Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Apartments is an historic building located in Atlanta, Georgia. The complex, originally consisting of a hotel and apartments, was developed by William Candler, son of Coca-Cola executive Asa Candler, with ...
. He was elected president of the Biltmore Corporation in February 1930, and was manager of the Biltmore Hotel. His mansion, named Rest Haven, is located on Springdale Road in Druid Hills.
Biography
Founder of Coca-Cola
A druggist in 1888, Asa Griggs Candler met John Stith Pemberton
John Stith Pemberton (July 8, 1831 – August 16, 1888) was an American pharmacist and Confederate States Army veteran who is best known as the inventor of Coca-Cola. In May 1886, he developed an early version of a beverage that would later bec ...
and was intrigued by a sweet, carbonated drink he had developed. Candler bought the Coca-Cola recipe from Pemberton, for an amount rumored to be $2,300. The drink was derived from brewed coca
Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine.
The plant is grown as a cash crop in the Argentine Northwest, Bolivia, Al ...
leaves, as well as caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
, carbonated water, and sugar. In 1892, he founded the Coca-Cola Company. The following year, he trademarked the brand and distributed the first dividends to the company's shareholders.
By 1895, the company was distributing Coca-Cola nationwide in the United States. It first started exporting in 1899, to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. Exports to Europe started two years later. He also developed the famous "$1 contract" where he sold the rights to bottle Coca-Cola in the US for only one dollar. At first, the company advertised Coca-Cola as a drink that relieved mental and physical fatigue, and cured headaches.
In 1903, Candler decided to remove the cocaine component from the coca leaves before mixing them with the drink, and to sell the extracted cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
to pharmaceutical companies. In 1911, the company reached an annual advertising budget of $1 million. In 1915, the bottling company Root Glass Co. created the iconic Coca-Cola bottle.
In 1916, after Candler was elected mayor of Atlanta, he ended his day-to-day management of the Coca-Cola Company. In 1917, the Coca-Cola company agreed to reduce by 50% the amount of caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
in the drink. In 1919 Candler gave most of the stock in The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation founded in 1892, best known as the producer of Coca-Cola. The Coca-Cola Company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, ...
to his children. They sold their shares to a consortium of investors led by Ernest Woodruff
Ernest Woodruff (May 23, 1863 – June 5, 1944) was a businessman in the U.S. city of Atlanta, Georgia.
Biography
Woodruff was born in Columbus, Georgia. After relocating to Atlanta, he made his home in the Inman Park suburb, developed by his ...
.
Atlanta builder and mayor
In 1906 Candler completed what was then Atlanta's tallest building, the Candler Building. It had intricately carved decorations and was 17 stories tall. It still stands at Peachtree and Auburn streets and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
, significant for its architectural detail and role as a company symbol. In 1912 the Candler Building in New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
opened.
In 1916, Candler was elected mayor of Atlanta (taking office in 1917). As mayor he balanced the city budget and coordinated rebuilding efforts after the Great Atlanta fire of 1917
The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917 began just after noon on 21 May 1917 in the Old Fourth Ward of Atlanta, Georgia. It is unclear just how the fire started, but it was fueled by hot temperatures and strong winds which propelled the fire. The fire, ...
destroyed 1,500 homes. He also made large personal loans in order to develop the water and sewage facilities of the city of Atlanta, in order to provide the infrastructure necessary to a modern city.
Candler was also a philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
, endowing numerous schools and universities (he gave a total of $7 million to Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
,) and the Candler Hospital in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...
. Candler had paid to relocate Emory University from Oxford, Georgia
Oxford is a city in Newton County, Georgia, Newton County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. As of the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census, the city population was 2,134. It is the location of Oxford College of Emory University.
Mu ...
, to Atlanta.
Asa Candler suffered a stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
in 1926 and never recovered. He died on March 12, 1929, at Wesley Memorial Hospital
Emory University Hospital is a 733-bed facility in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, specializing in the care of acutely ill adults. Emory University Hospital is staffed exclusively by Emory University School of Medicine faculty who also a ...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
. He is buried at Westview Cemetery
Westview Cemetery, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest civilian cemetery in the Southeastern United States, comprising more than , 50 percent of which is undeveloped. ( Georgia National Cemetery, for military veterans and their families, ...
on the west side of Atlanta.
Legacy
Atlanta
The Candler Field Museum
The Candler Field Museum was a non-profit venture to recreate the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as it appeared in the 1920s and 1930s. It was located in Williamson, Georgia, at Peach State Airport. Founded in March, 2005 as ...
in Williamson, Georgia
Williamson is a city in Pike County, Georgia, United States. The population was 352 at the 2010 census.
History
The community was named after Isaac Henry Williamson, an early settler.
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Williamson as a tow ...
, has been established to commemorate the original Candler Field, the first Atlanta airport.
Callan Castle, the Candler home in Inman Park
Inman Park is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, and its first planned suburb. It was named for Samuel M. Inman.
History
Today's neighborhood of Inman Park includes areas that were originally designated
* Inman Park p ...
, built from 1902 to 1904, still stands as a private home.
Candler's later mansion, built in 1916 at 1500 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Druid Hills
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census. The ...
, was later adapted for use as the John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom (; gr, Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος; 14 September 407) was an important Early Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his homilies, preaching and public speaking, his denunciat ...
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
el, Μελχιτική Ελληνική Καθολική Εκκλησία
, image = Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Damascus, Syria.jpg
, imagewidth = 200px
, alt =
, caption =
, abbreviatio ...
.
In 1922, he donated over of his Druid Hills
Druid Hills is a community which includes both a census-designated place (CDP) in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, as well as a neighborhood of the city of Atlanta. The CDP's population was 14,568 at the 2010 census. The ...
holdings to the City of Atlanta for what became Candler Park
Candler Park is a 55-acre (223,000 m2) city park located at 585 Candler Park Drive NE, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is named after Coca-Cola magnate Asa Griggs Candler, who donated this land to the city in 1922. The park features a nin ...
. That year he also sold the Central Bank and Trust.
File:Inman Park building 03.jpg, Callan Castle in Inman Park
Inman Park is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, and its first planned suburb. It was named for Samuel M. Inman.
History
Today's neighborhood of Inman Park includes areas that were originally designated
* Inman Park p ...
.
File:Asa G. Candler Residence, Druid Hills.jpeg, Candler mansion (built 1916) at 1500 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Druid Hills.
File:Asa Candler Mansion - Druid Hills.JPG, John Chrysostom Melkite Church, 2012.
Several Candler buildings were constructed as the Coca-Cola Company expanded in the early 20th century:
*Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
- The Candler Building, located on the northeast corner of East Pratt Street and Market Place in eastern downtown, at the Inner Harbor
The Inner Harbor is a historic seaport, tourist attraction, and landmark of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. It was described by the Urban Land Institute in 2009 as "the model for post-industrial waterfront redevelopment around the world". The ...
, still bears his name. The brick industrial style building faces the waterfront of the basin of Baltimore Harbor
Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore is a shipping port along the tidal basins of the three branches of the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland on the upper northwest shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It is the nation's largest port facilities fo ...
, on the Northwest Branch of the Patapsco River
The Patapsco River mainstem is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 river in central Maryland that flows into the Chesapeake Bay. The river's tidal port ...
. Used as a regional headquarters for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company
Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the largest independent Coca-Cola bottler in the United States.
The company makes, sells and distributes Coca-Cola products along with other beverages, distributing to ...
, the structure was known for having brass door knobs engraved with "CC" for the company. Between the late 1930s and 1960, the building served as the national headquarters of the new Social Security Administration
The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government that administers Social Security (United ...
. This agency was authorized under the Social Security Act
The Social Security Act of 1935 is a law enacted by the 74th United States Congress and signed into law by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The law created the Social Security program as well as insurance against unemployment. The law was pa ...
of 1935, one of the New Deal
The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...
programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
. By the 2000s, as the old waterfront area and municipal piers area were being redeveloped from commercial and industrial uses, the Candler Building was renovated for offices and some apartments/condos.
*In Kansas City, the Western Auto Building
The Western Auto Building, first known as the Coca-Cola Building or the Candler Building, after owner Asa Griggs Candler, is located at 2107 Grand Boulevard, in the Crossroads neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. Built in 1914, it later served ...
was known as the Coca-Cola Building or Candler Building when constructed for the Coca-Cola Company in 1914, and during its occupancy. It has been converted to loft condominiums.
*In New York City, the Candler Building is still in use.
See also
* Warren Akin Candler
Warren Akin Candler (August 23, 1857 – September 25, 1941) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, elected in 1898. He was the tenth president of Emory University.
Early life
He was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, the ...
, for whom Emory's Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology is one of seven graduate schools at Emory University, located in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. A university-based school of theology, Candler educates ministers, scholars of religion and other leaders. It is also one ...
is named.
* Samuel Candler Dobbs Samuel Candler Dobbs (November 8, 1868 – October 31, 1950) was president (1919-1920) and chairman of The Coca-Cola Company, from 1919 to 1922.
Early life and education
Dobbs was born in 1868 in Georgia. He was the son of Harris Henry Dobbs, a ...
References
External links
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Asa Griggs Candler Papers
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Candler Family Papers
Further reading
*
*
*
* Shirley, Michael. "The 'Conscientious Conservatism' of Asa Griggs Candler." ''Georgia Historical Quarterly'' 67.3 (1983): 356-365
online
{{DEFAULTSORT:Candler, Asa Griggs
1851 births
1929 deaths
American drink industry businesspeople
Mayors of Atlanta
Coca-Cola people
Emory University people
People from Villa Rica, Georgia
Burials in Georgia (U.S. state)
Druid Hills, Georgia
Methodists from Georgia (U.S. state)
Candler family