15 January 1889 – The Coca-Cola Company, then known as the Pemberton Medicine Company, is incorporated in Atlanta.

The Pemberton Medicine Company traces its roots back to the late 19th century, founded by Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a pharmacist and former Confederate soldier. After sustaining serious injuries during the Civil War, Pemberton developed a morphine dependency, which eventually motivated him to search for medicinal alternatives. In 1860s Georgia, he began experimenting with herbal concoctions and tonics, leading to the establishment of his small-scale business in Atlanta. His company initially focused on patent medicines—widely popular at the time—promoted as remedies for common ailments such as headaches, fatigue, and digestive troubles.

One of Pemberton’s most significant creations under the company’s banner was a beverage he first marketed as “French Wine Coca.” This tonic blended coca leaf extract with wine and was advertised as a nerve and energy booster. However, after the prohibition of alcohol in Atlanta, Pemberton reformulated the product to remove the wine. This adjustment resulted in the birth of a new non-alcoholic beverage that eventually became world-famous: Coca-Cola. Initially sold in pharmacies as a temperance drink and marketed as a medicinal elixir, it symbolized the company’s innovative blend of pharmacology and consumer appeal.

Although Pemberton never lived to see the immense success of his invention, the Pemberton Medicine Company played a pivotal role in laying the foundation for what would become The Coca-Cola Company. Following his death in 1888, the rights to the formula and brand gradually shifted hands, eventually ending up with Asa Candler, who transformed the product into a commercial powerhouse. The original Pemberton Medicine Company faded from prominence, but its historical significance lies in its pioneering work in 19th-century patent medicines and, most notably, in launching the formula that evolved into one of the most recognizable global brands.