The sign on the side of Young Brothers Pharmacy in downtown Cartersville has been authenticated by the Coca-Cola Company as the first of its kind. It dates back to 1894, when an industrious Coca-Cola syrup salesman named James Couden put down his order pad and picked up a paintbrush to create the sign in hopes of encouraging thirsty train riders to stop and drink Coca-Cola®.
Buried under 25 layers of paint, the sign might have been lost forever; but, Pharmacy Owner Dean Cox, restored and restored the sign as it first appeared more than a century ago. Inside Young Brothers Pharmacy, visitors learn how the original sign was uncovered through photographic displays of the restoration. Outside, visitors can stop and take a selfie with the primitive early logo and appreciate it as a symbol that is now recognized around the world.
