Published: September 24, 2015 by Anna Maloney

This semester the MARA blog will have a new feature: a monthly spotlight on a notable archives or records center. We will begin with the Coca-Cola Archives located in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coca-Cola was introduced in 1886 and incorporated several times in its early history. In 1939, as the company planned for its 50th anniversary, the idea for the archives was conceived. Franklin Garrett served as the first company historian and focused his efforts on writing about the company history. In 1958, Garrett was succeeded by Wilbur Kurtz Jr., who prioritized collecting memorabilia. The archives first dedicated storage space came in 1983 in the form of a converted store room. The facilities were modernized again in 1997 and, most recently, in the summer of 2015, the corporate heritage team began moving the collection into a newly constructed space.

Perhaps one of the most impressive aspects of the Coca-Cola Archives is the Virtual Tour. Visitors can “walk” the archives and read about some of the artifacts that have been collected. You can also read more about the archives, collections, and history here.