Courtesy of Explore Georgia
Business and Commerce
From Coca-Cola to the Georgia Marble Company, these enterprises are renowned across the nation and the world.
Coca-Cola
The Atlanta-born beverage Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable consumer products in the world. Concocted by John Stith Pemberton and first sold in 1866, it is named for its essential ingredients: coca leaf and kola nut. From its beginnings as a medicinal tonic to today’s many flavors and iconic bottles, Coca-Cola remains a symbol of American culture and business.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia
Dalton Carpets
Known as the “carpet capital of the world,” Dalton produces more than 80 percent of the tufted carpet manufactured in the United States. One of the most successful carpet companies in Dalton is World Carpets, created by the son of Palestinian immigrants Shaheen Azeez Shaheen and his wife Piera Barbaglia, an Italian business graduate who had previously managed the finances of antifascist groups during World War II.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia
Folk Arts and Crafts
Folk arts and crafts, which are often “handed on” from one community member to another, have deep roots in Georgia. From traditional African walking sticks to delicately sewn quilts and hand-thrown pottery, Georgia folk artists are renowned for creations of beautiful simplicity that combine creative skill and utility.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia
Marble
Of the many famous monuments throughout our nation’s capital, 60 percent are made from Georgia marble, including the famous Lincoln Memorial. North Georgia boasts rich areas of natural marble, and the profitable business of extracting and selling the prized stone has a long history in the state.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia – Marble industry
Digital Library of Georgia – Georgia Marble Company
Georgia Historic Newspapers
Moonshine
The art of distilling alcohol in Georgia began as an acceptable way for farmers to earn additional income. When new taxes and the IRS came into play during the Civil War, the threat of reduced profits pushed distillers to work illegally at night, by the shine of the moon. The years that followed were marked by violence between moonshiners and revenuers, community-led prohibitionist efforts, and illegal actions from the outlaws who dabbled in moonshine sales.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia
Georgia Historic Newspapers
Peaches
Georgia only became the “Peach State” after the Civil War when the abolition of slavery pushed farmers to change crops. But the iconic fruit has a rich history as a staple crop of the Cherokee and a cause for commercial success.
Sample Primary Sources
Digital Library of Georgia
Georgia Historic Newspapers
