25th House and Garden Walk

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Text on Button 25th House & Garden Walk Logan Square Preservation
Image Description

An illustration of (from left to right): a purple house, a grey column with a gold eagle on top, a brown house, and a blue house. Red and blue text on a white background. 

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Logan Square Preservation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public of the architecture, history, and beautification of the community. Logan Square is a historic neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago. The area consists of scenic gardens, architecturally elegant homes and churches. The community is characterized by its grand boulevards and sophisticated setting. Please see the link below for additional information. 

The organization conduct walking tours, and the button was to commemorate the 25th year of the walking tour on September 9, 2006. 

Catalog ID CH0095

YMCA South Shore Red

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Text on Button YMCA SOUTH SHORE
Image Description

An illustration of upside down red triangle with a brown feather going through its empty center. Red text sits above and below the image. Everything is set on a white background. 

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In 1844, the first Young Men's Christian Association or Y.M.C.A. was founded in London England. The Y.M.C.A. experienced quick growth from 1844 to 1855 and spread across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The first Y.M.C.A in the United States was founded in Boston in 1851. The Y.M.C.A. was founded on Christian principles but has since expanded to include a broader audience and promotes the strengthening of communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility rather than promoting Christianity or morality.

The red triangle has been an emblem of the Y.M.C.A. since 1891. The three sides represent the spirit, mind, and body. The triangle represents the Y.M.C.A.’s philosophy in that a triangle is not just three separate sides but the sum of three sides that together form a triangular figure. Thus in regards to a man, he is not just a body, a mind, and a spirit, but a result of all three.

Catalog ID CL0330

YMCA South Shore Red with Green

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Text on Button YMCA SOUTH SHORE
Image Description

An illustration of upside down red triangle with a green feather going through its empty center. Red text sits above and below the image. Everything is set on a white background. 

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In 1844, the first Young Men's Christian Association or Y.M.C.A. was founded in London England. The Y.M.C.A. experienced quick growth from 1844 to 1855 and spread across the United States, Canada, and Europe. The first Y.M.C.A in the United States was founded in Boston in 1851. The Y.M.C.A. was founded on Christian principles but has since expanded to include a broader audience and promotes the strengthening of communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility rather than promoting Christianity or morality.

The red triangle has been an emblem of the Y.M.C.A. since 1891. The three sides represent the spirit, mind, and body. The triangle represents the Y.M.C.A.’s philosophy in that a triangle is not just three separate sides but the sum of three sides that together form a triangular figure. Thus in regards to a man, he is not just a body, a mind, and a spirit, but a result of all three.

Catalog ID CL0329

United Junk Peddlers

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Text on Button UNITED JUNK PEDDLERS OF CHICAGO JANUARY 1938 .LOCAL-467..
Image Description

White text one a blue background.

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Made by
AMERICAN 
BADGE
CO.
CHICAGO,
ILLS.

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In the late 1930s, the Chicago junkmen were troubled by a number of things. The wholesale price of steel had dropped by nearly fifty percent and troubles with retail junk shops ensued over the prices. In 1937, around fifteen hundred United Junk Peddlers union members went on strike against the retail shops. The retail owners had the junkmen arrested. A local judge told the junkmen they were not protected by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 because they were independent contractors, which ignored the fact that the union was part of the Committee for Industrial Organizations. By late November 1937, the union members circumvented the problem.  They began a cooperative junkyard and sold their steel directly to the steel mills, which eliminated the need for the retailers and wholesalers. This button from the local 467 dates from that time.

Sources

Junk. (1937). Time, 30(21), 76.

Catalog ID CH0079

National Poultry Butter and Eggs Convention

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Text on Button 31st ANNUAL CONVENTION CHICAGO, ILL. NATIONAL POULTRY BUTTERS & EGG ASSN INCORPORATED 1906
Image Description

An illustration of a chicken and cow with blue text above and below the illustration.  Surrounding the illustration is an illustration of a wooden ring with separate pieces of rope wrapped around it at various points and blue text in a circular formation. Everything sits on a white background.  

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Made by 
AMERICAN BADGE
CO.
CHICAGO,
ILLS. 
 

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The National Poultry, Butter and Egg Association (NPBEA) gained public notice in 1906 for their support of what became the Pure Food and Drug Act.  At the time, the association was called the National Poultry and Game Association. The Chicago-based NPBEA, lamented the extinction of the turkey and lobbied the US Congress to save it in the early 1920s. By the 1937 convention, the NPBEA had ridden out the Great Depression and looked towards the future. It focused on helping its constituents until the 1960s.

Catalog ID CH0107

New York Chicago

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Text on Button NEW YORK 12 3 5 CHICAGO
Image Description

A red three sits in the center with blue text in a curved and straight formation above and below the number. Everything is set against a white background with a red edge. 

Curl Text MADE IN USA Parisian Novelty Co. Chicago
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Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Catalog ID CH0117

Illinois Title Association

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Text on Button ILLINOIS TITLE ASSOCIATION CHICAGO 1941
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Black text on a white background. 

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Founded over 90 years ago, the Illinois Title Associations is now known as the Illinois Land Title Association. Based out of Springfield, Illinois the ILTA aims to promote the business of preparing abstracts of title to real estate and ensuring titles in the state of Illinois. They have hosted an annual conference since their creation.

Catalog ID CH0106

Chicago Charter Jubilee

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Text on Button CHICAGO"S CHARTER 1837 -JUBILEE- 1937
Image Description

A illustration of a tree with an illustration of an acorn and two gold boxes filled with blue text over it on a gold background. 

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Made by
American 
BADGE
CO.
CHICAGO.
ILLS.

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Though this button is celebrating the centennial of the city, there is some dispute regarding when Chicago was officially founded. The first settlements of non indigenous persons date back to the 1780s. The settlement however was not considered to be a town until 1833 with the population of around 200. On March 4th, 1837 the city of Chicago was incorporated, to many this is the official start of Chicago as we know it.

In 1933 and 34, the city hosted the "Century of Progress" at the World's Fair, to celebrate 100 years. This fair was held to not only boost morale during the Great Depression, but also to help improve the image of Chicago, which had suffered during Prohibition due to bootlegging activity. The second celebration in 1937 was different, it was more traditional with parades, speeches, canon salutes, horse shows, auto races and other spectacles.

The white oak tree is the state symbol of Chicago, adopted in 1908.

Catalog ID CH0080

Chicago Trotting Club Spring Horse Show

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Text on Button THE CHICAGO TROTTING CLUB SPRING HORSE SHOW 1934
Image Description

Gold text on a purple material background. 

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In May of 1934 the Chicago Trotting Club held a large event that included harness races and an amateur horse show competition. The show was held between races at the club’s track on North Avenue and River Road. Horse racing has been a part of Chicago since the early 19th century and in the 1930s the city had six race tracks, more than any other city at the time.

Catalog ID CH0116