The Extraordinary World of MARBL: The Codebook of The Coca-Cola Company

The Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library is a place of discovery. All are welcome to visit and explore our unique holdings, whether as a researcher or an observer. The breadth and depth of our collections are vast, and it is nearly impossible to investigate every nook and cranny. We invite you this year, through our blog, to tour some of those places you didn't know existed, and get acquainted with collections you might not have previously explored. Check back in with us weekly over the course of 2013 as we offer you a delightful look into some of the favorite, but perhaps lesser-known, corners of our collections. These pieces are visually interesting, come attached with fascinating stories, and are often 3D objects you might not have realized are part of what makes up The Extraordinary World of MARBL.

A page from The Coca-Cola Company Codebook and two telegrams
between Robert W. Woodruff and staff

Have you ever seen a telegram in secret code? These telegrams and codebook page come from the Robert W. Woodruff papers. Woodruff, the long-time head of The Coca-Cola Company, traveled relentlessly to expand Coca-Cola's reach. As a result, the company devised an elaborate secret code so Woodruff could discuss confidential business with company officials by telegram. The original message is in black. Someone then consulted the codebook and typed the translation in red. You can trace the history of The Coca-Cola Company in the Robert W. Woodruff papers in MARBL.

by Randy Gue, Curator of Modern Political and Historical Collections, MARBL

  Share