Black text on an orange background

Traction Heritage periodicals were started around the turn of the century, circa 1900s, as a way to get information about upcoming railway technology distributed. Various issues mentioned train cars images and statistics. In later editions, the periodicals included selections from various issues of the Street Railway Journal and electric model trains.

Green text on a white background

7Up is a lemon-lime flavored caffeine-free soft drink that was created by Charles Leiper Grigg in 1929. Originally called “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda,” 7Up contained the mood-stabilizing drug lithium citrate until 1948. In the 1950s, 7Up unveiled a new advertising campaign that declared “Nothing Does It Like 7Up!”. Print ads for this campaign featured black and white drawings of people of all ages enjoying the lemon-lime soda in an attempt to market 7Up as a drink the whole family could enjoy. A few of these ads even featured babies drinking 7Up, claiming that the soft drink was “so pure, so wholesome” that “you can give it to babies and feel good about it”. The ads suggested that moms mix equal parts 7Up with milk for a “wholesome combination” that would encourage even the pickiest of toddlers to drink their milk.

Sources
Bellis, M. (2017, April 5). The history of 7Up - Charles Leiper Grigg: The development of a lemon-lime soda. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-7up-charles-leiper-grigg-4075324​

Parekh, R. (2012, August 27). Rewind: '50s era 7Up campaign depicted soda-guzzling babies. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/news/rewind-50s-era-7up-campaign-depicted-soda-guzzling-babies/236867/

Illustration of an airplane with text above and below on an off white background

The Megow's Philadelphia Models was named after its founder Fred W. Megow. Megow saw the growth of the aviation industry and began experimenting with model airplanes in the late 1920s. In 1929, he founded "Megow's Model Airplane Shop" which was one of the earliest companies to produce and sell airplane modeling kits. The business ceased operation in 1949. 

Illustration of a black bear with a red missile above on a yellow circle on a white background

Bomby-the-Bear, the emblem of the 471st Bombardment Squadron, was one of the faces of the Pep button series. The 471st Bombardment Squadron operated as a North American B-25 Mitchell replacement training unit beginning in 1942 until its disbandment in 1944. It served as one of the four original squadrons of the 334th Bombardment Group at Greenville Army Air Base, South Carolina where aircrews were trained prior to deployment to combat theaters during World War II. 

Bomby is one of a set of military insignia pins issued by Kellogg's with their PEP cereal in 1943. The set is known as the “Pep War Insignia Pins” and features 36 WWII military squadron emblems. It was created for Kellogg's by the legendary "Premium King" Sam Gold. The Kellogg's Pep cereal brand sponsored radio programs and was known for giving away premium items such as trading cards, badges, and pinback buttons.

Blue text and a red star on a white background with an outer red edge with white text on it

Strom Thurmond, the former governor of South Carolina, was a presidential candidate during the 1948 election with Fielding Wright, the former governor of Mississippi, as his vice president. They were candidates under the States' Rights Democratic Party, which was also known as the Dixiecrats. The group received support in the southern states of Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Alabama because the majority of its population held the belief that the federal government should not interfere with states' rights, especially when it came to civil rights. The popularity of the States' Rights Democratic Party is largely credited with turning the south from a Democratic area to one that supports Republican ideals.

Black and white illustration of two men (Uncle Same and Theodore Roosevelt) over black text

March 4, 1905 marked the beginning of Theodore Roosevelt's second, and only full, term as President of the United States. His previous term had begun in 1901 after the assassination of his predecessor, William McKinley.

At the turn of the 20th century, it was considered beneath the office of the President for a candidate to campaign for himself, so political parties usually campaigned on their chosen candidates' behalf. In their push for Roosevelt's reelection, the Republican Party made broad use of Homer C. Davenport's popular cartoon of Uncle Sam declaring of Roosevelt, "He's good enough for me".

The 1905 inauguration enjoyed a larger and more diverse crowd than usual, and became the second United States inauguration ever to be recorded in motion picture. Despite his predecessor's violent end, Roosevelt rode to the ceremony in an open carriage.

Illusttration of a woman wearing a headress with an eagle on it (the symbol of chicago) and text on her front on a dark horse with text on its side walking through water. In the background is another horse with a man in a hat riding it.

In the Chicago mayoral election of 1903, incumbent Carter Harrison, Jr. ran as a Democrat against Republican nominee Graeme Stewart. The idiom “don’t change horses in midstream” encourages readers to stick with their original track or, in this case, the incumbent in the election. The Chicago symbol "I Will" modified to be “I Will Not” is seen riding on the back of Harrison while William Lorimer, Republican political boss, is sinking behind Stewart. Lorimer was asking the people of Chicago (represented by “I Will Not”) to drop Harrison for Stewart, but that idea was protested.

The 1903 election was rife with political turmoil. Lorimer had been elected to the House of Representatives under illicit circumstances. Opponents demanded a recount and Stewart supported an injunction against the recount to support Lorimer. Reform-minded voters disapproved of this partisan gesture and helped reelect Harrison to his fourth of five terms as Mayor of Chicago. Stewart died two years later. Lorimer was later elected a U.S. Senator, but was convicted of bribery.

“I Will Not” is a reference to “I Will," a goddess designed by Charles Holloway in 1892. Shown wearing a crown with a rising phoenix and the phrase “I will” on her breastplate, she was meant to represent the spirit of Chicago in the same way that Uncle Sam is a symbol of America. “I Will” was an unofficial symbol of the 1893 World’s Fair. Changing “I Will” to “I Will Not” was a dig directed at Lorimer that 1903 Chicagoans would have recognized instantly.

Black text on a white background with a red and white checkered outer edge

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Blue circle with a yellow ring around the outside. Text on blue background is yellow; text on yellow background is blue.

Parisian Novelty Co. was a Chicago-based manufacturer of novelties founded in 1898 by Louis L Joseph. They manufactured a variety of advertising novelties, such as buttons, compacts, mirrors, and measuring tapes. The Busy Beaver Button Museum has several examples of their products, which can be seen here.

Their initial operating facility was located at 35th and Western Avenue in Chicago, but later moved to a new facility on 49th Place. In November of 2008, the company was split up, and the button division was acquired by the Matchless Group. The name was changed to Matchless Parisian Novelty, and they continue to operate out of their 49th Place Chicago facility.

Illustration of a yellow chick on a grey cracked egg background

The American Baby Chick Producers Association in Chicago was a group of individual agriculture professionals hatching eggs for sale to local individuals and chicken farms. Members used the endorsement of the association to increase their reputation and their business at conferences and in newspaper ads. In the 1929 Department of Commerce report—two years after this member was recognized for 25 years of service—this association consisted of 400 members within the Chicago area.