This Seattle widow raised four children and left a legacy that would impact Atlanta in a profound way...
More than 100 years ago, Annie E. Casey was a widow raising her four children near Seattle. Her sacrifice and struggles deeply affected her eldest, Jim, who dedicated his life to creating an enduring legacy of service to children and families in America. That legacy, which was made possible by Annie E. Casey, found its way to Atlanta, where it has made an incalculable impact. Summarized below is the inspiring story of Annie E. Casey and her son, Jim Casey...
Annie E. Casey and her daughter, Marguerite
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Annie Sheehan was the daughter of immigrants from Ireland’s County Cork. Henry Casey came from County Galway, Ireland. The two met in Chicago, where they were married. The young couple soon moved to the mining district of Candelaria, Nevada, where they ran a saloon. Henry prospected for silver, but contracted a miner’s lung disease. On March 29, 1888, the first of their four children, James Emmett Casey, was born.
In 1897, when Jim was nine years old, the family moved to Seattle, a booming city of 65,000 people. This growth accelerated in the summer of 1897 when 100,000 prospectors rushed for newly discovered gold in the Klondike region of Canada’s Yukon Territory. It has been estimated that only one in four succeeded in the rough journey to the Yukon. Henry Casey was one of those who failed: his ship wrecked and hobbled into the nearest port. Getting sicker and sicker, Henry returned to Seattle. In 1907, 19-year-old James founded the American Messenger Company in Seattle, Washington. Claude Ryan was his partner and his messengers were his brother George and other teenagers. His motto was "best service and lowest rates". Deliveries were made on foot, bicycle, or motorcycle. |
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In 1919, the company expanded beyond Seattle and changed its name to United Parcel Service (UPS). James consistently gave credit to his mother, Annie E. Casey, for holding their family together after Jim's father died. As a youngster delivering packages on the Seattle streets, Jim Casey was exposed to the excesses of a bustling city in the midst of the Klondike Gold Rush. He credited the guidance of a strong mother and support of his family with keeping him grounded.
In 1948, Jim and his siblings established the Annie E. Casey Foundation to honor their mother. They started by supporting a camp for disadvantaged kids near their Seattle home. |
Jim Casey giving the first Safe-Driving Award to McCue in 1928. Photo: Casey Family Programs
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In 1966, with his brothers George and Harry and his sister Marguerite, Jim created Casey Family Programs to help children who were unable to live with their birth parents; giving them stability and an opportunity to grow to responsible adulthood.
In 1983, Jim Casey dies at age 95. By the time of his death, Mr. Casey left three legacies: United Parcel Service, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Casey Family Programs. |
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In 1991, UPS moved its world headquarters from Greenwich, CT to Sandy Springs, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. In 2019, UPS generated $74 billion in revenue and employed 495,000 people worldwide. The company has almost 15,000 employees in Metro Atlanta with a local payroll of over $1 billion.
In 2001, UPS bought a 31-acre site on University Avenue site for a new distribution center that never gets built. The site is located in the SW Atlanta neighborhood of Pittsburgh and is situated on the Atlanta Beltline Southside Trail. |
Pittsburgh Yards Site Map
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In 2006, UPS sold the land to the Annie E. Casey Foundation with goal of redeveloping the site to provide economic relief to the surrounding neighborhoods. The following year, community engagement began to determine the optimal use of the property. The Global Financial Crisis of 2007-08 makes it necessary to put the project on hold.
Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation | Archbridge Institute | Casey Family Programs | Pittsburgh Yards | Metro Atlanta Chamber
- In 2014, the project resumes.
- In 2017, residents of the Pittsburgh community cast more than 300 votes to name the project: Pittsburgh Yards.
- In 2020, Pittsburgh Yards becomes a reality.
Sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation | Archbridge Institute | Casey Family Programs | Pittsburgh Yards | Metro Atlanta Chamber
In 1991, UPS moved its world headquarters from Greenwich, CT to Sandy Springs, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. In 2019, UPS generated $74 billion in revenue and employed 495,000 people worldwide. The company has almost 15,000 employees in Metro Atlanta with a local payroll of over $1 billion.
"What is needed is a renewed determination to think creatively, to learn from what has succeeded and what has failed, and, perhaps most important, to foster a sense of common commitment among all those concerned with the welfare of children." — Jim Casey, UPS Founder (1888 - 1983)
How & Where to Connect
In Atlanta, the best way to connect with Annie E. Casey is to visit Pittsburgh Yards. Instructions for getting to the site are provided below.
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PITTSBURGH YARDS
Pittsburgh Yards® is a transformative re-development site located in SW Atlanta. The project, led by the Annie E. Casey Foundation represents an opportunity to achieve economic equity, generate job growth and foster entrepreneurship for residents of Adair Park, Capitol Gateway, Mechanicsville, Peoplestown, Pittsburgh, Summerhill and other SW Atlanta neighborhoods. Once complete, the hope is that Pittsburgh Yards will be a vibrant space where residents can work, create, shop, play and inspire. |
Pittsburgh Yards Site
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