Asa Griggs Candler facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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. (1851-12-30)December 30, 1851 Villa Rica, Georgia, U.S.
Died	March 12, 1929(1929-03-12) (aged 77) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Resting place	Westview Cemetery
Nationality	American
Spouses	Lucy Elizabeth Howard ​ ​ (m. 1878; her death 1919)​
Children	5, including Asa G. Candler Jr.
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	Founder of the Coca-Cola Company and philanthropist

Asa Griggs Candler Sr. (December 30, 1851 – March 12, 1929) was an American businessman and politician. In 1888, he bought the secret recipe for Coca-Cola for $238.98 from chemist John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. Candler then founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892 and helped it grow into a very large company.

He was a well-known leader in Atlanta. Candler was elected and served as the 41st mayor of the city from 1917 to 1919. Candler Field, which is now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, was named after him. Candler Park in Atlanta also carries his name. As the head of Coca-Cola, he built the Candler Building in Atlanta. He also built Candler Buildings in Kansas City, New York City, and Baltimore, Maryland.

Candler's Family Life

Asa Griggs Candler was born on December 30, 1851, in Villa Rica, Georgia. His parents were Martha and Samuel Charles Candler. His father was a merchant and property owner. Asa was one of eleven children. His brother was Warren Akin Candler.

Asa Candler had five children:

• Asa's oldest son, Charles Howard Candler (1878–1957), became the chairman of the board of trustees for Emory University. His family home, Callanwolde, is now a fine arts center.
• His second son, Asa G. Candler Jr. (1880–1953), became a real estate developer. He opened the Briarcliff Hotel. His large home, Briarcliff mansion, is now part of Emory University. Asa Jr. also helped expand Zoo Atlanta in the 1930s with his collection of animals.
• His only daughter, Lucy (1882–1962), married Henry Heinz. Later, she married cellist and conductor Enrico Leide. He started an early version of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
• His third son, Walter T. Candler (1885–1967), was a businessman and a horse sportsman. His home, Lullwater House, is now the residence of the Emory University President. Part of his land is now a park.
• His youngest son, William Candler (1890–1936), helped finance the Atlanta Biltmore Hotel and Biltmore Apartments. He became president and manager of the Biltmore Hotel.

Asa Candler's Story

Creating Coca-Cola

In 1888, Asa Griggs Candler was a druggist. He met John Stith Pemberton and became very interested in a sweet, bubbly drink Pemberton had created. Candler bought the Coca-Cola recipe from Pemberton. The drink was made from plant extracts, caffeine, carbonated water, and sugar.

In 1892, Candler officially started The Coca-Cola Company. The next year, he made the brand a registered trademark. By 1895, Coca-Cola was sold all over the United States. The company began exporting the drink to Cuba in 1899. Exports to Europe started two years later. Candler also made a famous "$1 contract," selling the rights to bottle Coca-Cola in the U.S. for just one dollar. At first, Coca-Cola was advertised as a drink that helped with tiredness and headaches.

By 1911, the company spent $1 million each year on advertising. In 1915, the Root Glass Co. created the famous Coca-Cola bottle shape. In 1916, after Candler was elected mayor of Atlanta, he stopped managing Coca-Cola every day. In 1919, Candler gave most of his shares in The Coca-Cola Company to his children. They then sold their shares to a group of investors.

Mayor of Atlanta and Builder

In 1906, Candler finished building the Candler Building in Atlanta. It was the tallest building in the city at the time, with 17 stories and detailed carvings. It is still standing today and is an important historical building. In 1912, the Candler Building in New York also opened.

In 1916, Candler was elected mayor of Atlanta. He took office in 1917. As mayor, he made sure the city's budget was balanced. He also helped organize the rebuilding of Atlanta after the Great Atlanta fire of 1917, which destroyed many homes. He even used his own money to help improve the city's water and sewage systems. This helped Atlanta become a more modern city.

Candler was also a philanthropist, meaning he gave a lot of money to good causes. He donated $7 million to Emory University. He also supported the Candler Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. Candler had paid to move Emory University from Oxford, Georgia, to Atlanta.

His Later Years

Asa Candler had a stroke in 1926 and did not fully recover. He passed away on March 12, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is buried at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

Candler's Legacy

Atlanta's Connection to Candler

The Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia, remembers the original Candler Field. This was Atlanta's first airport.

Callan Castle, Candler's home in Inman Park, was built between 1902 and 1904. It is still a private home today.

Candler's later mansion, built in 1916, is now the John Chrysostom Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

In 1922, he gave over 50 acres (200,000 m²) of his land in Druid Hills to the City of Atlanta. This land became Candler Park.

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  Callan Castle in Inman Park

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  Candler mansion (built 1916) at 1500 Ponce de Leon Avenue in Druid Hills

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  John Chrysostom Melkite Church, 2012

Several Candler buildings were built as the Coca-Cola Company grew in the early 1900s:

• In Baltimore, Maryland, The Candler Building still has his name. It was once a Coca-Cola regional office. Later, it was the national headquarters for the Social Security Administration. Today, it has offices and apartments.
• In Kansas City, the Western Auto Building was first known as the Coca-Cola Building or Candler Building. It was built for the Coca-Cola Company in 1914. Now, it has been turned into homes.
• In New York City, the Candler Building is still in use today.

See also

In Spanish: Asa Griggs Candler para niños

• Samuel Candler Dobbs, Asa Candler's cousin and a leader at The Coca-Cola Company