Timeline: Visualizing America’s Oldest Companies

Marcus Lu
2025-04-15 16:12:00
www.visualcapitalist.com

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Visualizing America’s Oldest Companies: A Timeline

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

U.S. companies from a wide mixture of industries have survived the brutal test of time
America’s oldest existing company is Caswell-Massey, the country’s first perfume and soap producer

Did you know that over one in five U.S. companies fail in their first year? Despite this brutal statistic, a rare few have stood the test of time, not just for decades, but for centuries.

In this infographic, we take a look at America’s oldest companies founded in the 1700s. For context, this timeline also includes a selection of younger companies that are widely known.

Data & Discussion

The featured companies are listed in the table below.

Company	Industry	Year Founded	Company Age (yrs)
Caswell-Massey	Personal Care & Fragrance	1752	273
The Hartford Courant	Newspaper & Media	1764	261
Baker’s Chocolate	Food & Confectionery	1765	260
Ames	Tools & Hardware	1774	251
King Arthur Flour Company	Baking & Food Products	1790	235
Cigna	Health Insurance & Services	1792	233
Dixon Ticonderoga	Stationery & School Supplies	1795	230
Jim Beam	Alcohol & Spirits	1795	230
JPMorganChase	Banking & Financial Services	1799	226

All of these businesses have survived economic upheavals, wars, and technological revolutions, making their longevity even more impressive.

Let’s take a closer look at some of their histories.

Jim Beam: A Legacy in American Whiskey

Founded in 1795 by Jacob Beam in Kentucky, Jim Beam is one of America’s oldest and most iconic whiskey distilleries.

Initially named Old Jake Beam Sour Mash, the brand survived Prohibition by temporarily ceasing production and then swiftly restarted in 1933—just 120 days after repeal.

In 2014, the company was acquired by Japanese distiller, Suntory, for $16 billion, leading to the formation of Beam Suntory.

Dixon Ticonderoga: The Pencil that Wrote History

Established in 1795, Dixon Ticonderoga began as a humble graphite pencil company, originally named after Fort Ticonderoga in New York.

Contrary to popular belief, the company did not invent the iconic No. 2 yellow pencil, but it popularized it in the early 20th century through widespread adoption in schools nationwide.

JPMorgan Chase: Banking Across Centuries

JPMorgan Chase, founded in 1799 as The Bank of the Manhattan Company by Aaron Burr, is among the oldest financial institutions still operating in the U.S.

The current company was created in 2000 by the merger of J.P. Morgan & Co. and Chase Manhattan Company. As of Q4 2024, it is America’s largest bank with $4 trillion in assets.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out this graphic ranking companies with the most merger and acquisition deals since 2008.

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