S.S.S. Tonic Has Been Part of American History For 200 Years

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S.S.S. Company

Apr 27, 2026, 09:00 ET


S.S.S. Tonic marks the 200th anniversary of its first written documentation, a formula rooted in Muscogee Nation tradition that has never stopped being made in Georgia

ATLANTA, April 27, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On May 17, 1826, an indigenous remedy was inscribed on a tanned doe skin in Perry, Georgia. The United States of America was 50 years old. The formula being recorded was much older.

Two hundred years later, that formula is still in use. Not in a museum. Not in a historical archive. In a working manufacturing facility on University Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia, in 9,300-gallon production tanks, a team takes its work seriously enough to have a culture of its own.

This is the 200th anniversary of the first written documentation of the S.S.S. Tonic formula, which is now recognized as America's longest-running consumer health formula. And as the country approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the timing is no coincidence. It is a reminder that some things built right do not need to be rebuilt.

"Two hundred years ago, someone understood something about the human body that modern science is only now catching up to. Our job has never been to reinvent that. It has been to protect it, and to make sure every household that needs it can find it." - Nathan McFee, CEO and President, S.S.S. Company

Before The Written Record

The S.S.S. formula did not begin in a laboratory. It began in the oral tradition of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, passed from generation to generation. When the formula was recorded in 1826, it captured something that had already survived hundreds of years.

The first record of the formula is not a marketing asset. It is primary source material. And it positions S.S.S. Tonic as something no competitor can replicate: a product whose documented history spans four-fifths of the entire American story.

The formula persisted through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Prohibition, and under scrutiny from the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Trade Commission. Every regulatory and cultural force that eliminated its competitors failed to eliminate S.S.S. What survives two centuries of American commerce does so for a reason.

A Building Block For America

As America prepares to mark 250 years in 2026, S.S.S. is not simply celebrating alongside that milestone. It is part of what is being celebrated. When the founding generation was still alive, this formula was already being used. When Abraham Lincoln was president, it was still being used. As the Artemis II crew returns from their journey around the moon, it is still being used.

The story of S.S.S. Tonic not just a heritage story. It is an American story. And it belongs in the national conversation happening right now about what endures, what matters, and what it means to build something that lasts.

In 1897, Lena B. Swift served as president of S.S.S. Company, more than two decades before women could vote in the United States. The company has been quiet about its own history for too long. At 200 years, that changes.

Still Made. Still Real. Still Atlanta

There is a particular kind of trust that only time can build. S.S.S. Tonic has 200 years of it. The formula that originated in Muscogee oral tradition and was first written down in 1826 is today produced under pharmaceutical-grade standards in Atlanta, the same city where the company has operated for generations.

The production facility on University Avenue is not a relic. It is a physical presence, not a digital ghost. The tanks are full. The production floor runs as part of a modern, safe environment, creating a product that blends heritage with today's standards. The team that makes S.S.S. Tonic today takes the same care as did generations before them.

For families who grew up with S.S.S. Tonic, this anniversary is a reconnection to something they already know. For households encountering it for the first time, it is an introduction to the kind of product the wellness industry rarely produces anymore: one with a 200-year recipe.

"S.S.S. Tonic is the best. This tonic still works. I took it when I was a child. Builds up my blood, gives me energy, and tastes the same. S.S.S. Tonic works for me. Will order more." — Vallie Melton, Verified Customer

The Mission At 200

S.S.S. Company is not a brand chasing a trend. It is a company that has watched every trend come and go for two centuries. What remains is a simple conviction: that effective, time-tested wellness should not be hard to find.

As S.S.S. Company marks this milestone, that conviction becomes a public commitment. As we protect this 200-year-old flame, our mission is to ensure every household has frictionless access to these essentials.

S.S.S. Tonic is available now at ssscompany.com and through national retail and online channels. After 200 years, it has never been easier to find.

About S.S.S. Company

Since 1867, the S.S.S. Company has been a trusted name in American wellness. Its product line includes S.S.S. Tonic, an iron and vitamin supplement featuring a botanical formula first purchased in 1826 and commercially launched in 1867. The company has expanded its product line to serve a range of wellness needs, including Mother's Friend, a skincare lotion and liquid for pregnancy and sensitive skin; Tetterine, an antifungal treatment; Dri-Ear, ear drops that help dry water-clogged ears; and Curasore, an ointment that relieves pain from cold sores and fever blisters.

Legacy products like S.S.S. Tonic and Mother's Friend (Cream and Liquid) continue to serve families today.

They are available for purchase directly on the official S.S.S. Company website and on Amazon and eBay. For two centuries, we have remained committed to providing accessible wellness solutions to households nationwide.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Story is suitable for: American history and USA 250 coverage, Indigenous heritage, Atlanta and Perry, Georgia history, and business and entrepreneurship.

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Media Contact

April Bowers, S.S.S. Company, 1 404-521-0857, [email protected], https://ssscompany.com

SOURCE S.S.S. Company