Blue image on an oak-syle barrel going over a waterfall with blue text on a yellow background.

This is a light-hearted homage to a schoolteacher from Michigan, Mrs. Annie Edson Taylor, whose claim to fame had been her successful attempt to survive a plunge over Horseshoe Fall while in a barrel. She not only survived, but she climbed out without a single broken bone on that fateful day on October 21st, 1901. Although it's hard to imagine her motivation, Taylor's description of those fateful moments underscored the exhilaration and triumph her experience: "The awful rolling knocked my head first on the front of the barrel and then on the back. I expected to be killed at any moment, but even at that I was not sorry that I was where I was."

Following her death-defying stunt, Taylor attempted to make the most of her sudden celebrity. Years later, however, after a litany of appearances for tourists and other passerby—selling anything and everything with her name—Taylor found herself penniless, despondent, and blind. She was taken to the Niagara County Infirmary in March 1921, and, unfortunately, died several weeks later. 

White button with orange lettering surrounding a white illustration of Ludwig Von Beethoven on an orange crest.

Organized in 1842, the orchestra is older than any other extant American symphonic institution.  The orchestra has an amazing online digital repository available to all at http://archives.nyphil.org/.

Red text on white background around top border and black text on white background around bottom border of button. Text surrounds a circular illustration of grayscale cow udders on white background.

The North Dakota Chapter of the National Creamery and Buttermakers’ Association held their annual convention in Milwaukee from Oct 20-24, 1902. The association was originally organized in Oct. 1891 as the National Creamery Buttermakers and Factory Cheesemakers Association. The name was changed in 1896 to the National Creamery and Buttermakers’ Association. The association’s primary goal was to work for the betterment of creamery conditions, promote and develop dairying, and educate buttermakers for better work. Membership was open to all creameries and annual dues cost $2. They held annual meetings and published a biennial report.

Black text on brown, blue, and green illustration of a natural rock formation.  The rock arch is covered with grass with blue sky visible through the center. 

Natural Bridge is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark in Rockbridge County, Virginia. In the span of thousands of years, Cedar Creek, a tributary of the James River, carved out a gorge in the limestone terrain, leaving a natural arch with a length of 215 ft. and a span of 90 ft. Consisting of horizontal limestone strata, Natural Bridge was once a cave or tunnel from which the Cedar Creek flowed through. The Native American Monocan tribe considered Natural Bridge to be sacred—the site where Monocans defeated pursuing Powhatans in an epic battle, hundreds of years before the first white settlements in Jamestown. 

Black text on white background.

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Red text on white background. Illustration of a person with curly blonde hair wearing a very fancy blue outfit and hat holding a paint brush in left hand and paint in right hand.

Standard Varnish Works had a line of 'lacqueret' products. More commonly referred to as 'lacquer' in the 21st century, 'lacqueret' gave a "lustrous finish" to woodwork. In the early 20th century many American consumers could have bought this product at any local store selling paints or varnishes.

The girl pictured on the button is 'Little Miss Lacqueret.' She had been a part of the children's book oftentimes accompanying the product, entitled, "Little Miss Lacqueret's Drawing Book." Similarly, another pamphlet, "The Daisy Decorator," offered individuals 'helpful hints' for the use of their product.  

Image of a smiling women with flowing black hair wearing a red dress and mask. Green lettering around the edge with yellow background at the top of the design.

"La Fiesta de Los Angeles" which began on April 10, 1894, was a four day festival that the city threw in its own honor celebrating its many different cultures. It continued throughout the 1890s. The event featured parades, floats, many flowers, athletic competitions, a costume ball, and carnival attended by masked revelers. It was conceived of by a local business man as a way to attract tourism at a time when the effects of the 1893 depression were being felt.

This button is from the rendition of it that was held April 20-24, 1897. 

Multi-color illustration of a well-dressed pig waving and holding a box with black text. Edge has yellow lines highlighting the image on a white background.

The first Los Angeles County Fair was held for five days in October in 1922. Each of the 49,461 attendees paid 50 cents for entry. The fair has since lengthened and moved into September. The fair didn’t run from 1942 through 1947 when the grounds were used by the United States Army during World War II. In 1948 when the fair reopened, Thummer the pig was introduced as its first official mascot. He was named through a contest and his outstretched hoof is thought to make it look like he is hitchhiking to the fair. Two other mascots have since joined Thummer. Daisy the cow debuted in 2003, and Lilly the lamb was introduced in 2004.

White button with black text.

On November 2, 1983, President Ronal Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Rep. Katie Hall of Indiana, creating a federal holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr.  The holiday was first observed on January 20, 1986 and is observed on the third Monday of every January to commemorate MLK's birthday (January 15th).

White text on blue background surrounding a white and red illustration of a woman twirling a baton and leaning on a St. Paul Winter Carnival sign. Button has a silver bell attached to the bottom.

"The St. Paul Winter Carnival, a city-wide festival featuring a week of parades, ice sculptures, sporting events, and other outdoor activities, was begun in 1885 as the St. Paul Ice Palace Winter Carnival Association. The first carnivals were held 1886-1888 and 1896. They were revived in 1916 and 1917. Beginning again in 1937, they continued through 1942, resuming on a permanent basis in 1946."