**Family and Personal Life:**
– Asa Griggs Candler was born on December 30, 1851, in Villa Rica, Georgia, to Martha and Samuel Charles Candler.
– His father, Samuel, was a prominent merchant and property owner who served in the South Carolina legislature and fought in the Creek War of 1836.
– Asa had several children, including Charles Howard Candler, Asa G. Candler Jr., Lucy, Walter T. Candler, and William Candler.
**Career and Achievements:**
– Candler purchased the Coca-Cola recipe in 1888, founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892, and trademarked the brand in 1893.
– He expanded Coca-Cola’s distribution nationally in 1895 and internationally in 1899.
– Candler removed cocaine from the drink in 1903 and introduced the iconic Coca-Cola bottle in 1915.
– In 1919, he gave most of the company’s stock to his children.
**Public Service and Philanthropy:**
– Candler completed the Candler Building in Atlanta in 1906 and was elected mayor of Atlanta in 1916.
– He balanced the city budget, led rebuilding efforts after the Great Atlanta fire of 1917, and supported schools and universities, including donating $7 million to Emory University.
– Candler made personal loans for developing water and sewage facilities in Atlanta.
**Legacy and Contributions:**
– Candler’s legacy includes the Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia, and Candler Park in Atlanta.
– Several Candler buildings were constructed as part of Coca-Cola’s expansion in the early 20th century.
– Callan Castle, the Candler home in Inman Park, remains a private residence.
**Significant Buildings and Figures:**
– The Candler Building in Baltimore Harbor served as the regional headquarters for the Coca-Cola Bottling Company and later as the national headquarters of the Social Security Administration.
– The Western Auto Building in Kansas City, originally constructed for Coca-Cola, has historical significance and was converted into loft condominiums.
– The Candler Building in New York City, an iconic structure representing the Coca-Cola Company’s history, is a significant landmark in the city’s skyline.
– Samuel Candler Dobbs, Asa Candler’s cousin, played a key role in The Coca-Cola Company’s growth as its president and chairman, contributing significantly to the company’s success.
Asa Griggs Candler Sr. (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 in Atlanta, Georgia. Candler founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892 and developed it as a major company.
Asa Griggs Candler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 41st Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia | |
| In office 1917–1919 | |
| Preceded by | James G. Woodward |
| Succeeded by | James Lee Key |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Asa Griggs Candler Sr. December 30, 1851 Villa Rica, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | March 12, 1929 (aged 77) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Westview Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Lucy Elizabeth Howard
(m. 1878; died 1919) |
| Children | 5, including Asa G. Candler Jr. |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of the Coca-Cola Company and philanthropist |
Prominent among civic leaders of Atlanta, Candler was elected and served as the 41st mayor 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 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), a Candler Building in New York City, and one in what is now known as the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Maryland.