Digital exhibit highlights Milton's history of button cutting

Most modern buttons are produced in high-tech factories, yet not long ago, buttons were handcrafted in a labor-intensive process that was truly global. The town of Milton’s role in this unique industry is the subject of a new online digital exhibit and computer kiosk at the Milton Historical Society’s Lydia Black Cannon Museum in downtown Milton. The project is made possible with grant funds from the Delaware Humanities Forum and the Longwood Foundation.

“We are excited to bring new life to a unique piece of Milton’s history,” said Jennifer Legates, executive director of the Milton Historical Society. “Using online digital media allows us to reach local residents as well as educators and scholars outside of the region. Showcasing current research and personal stories provides new insight into a part of history many Americans are totally unfamiliar with.”

Button cutting began in Milton in the 1920s and flourished through the late 1950s with as many as seven known businesses employing local residents. The Lippincott Button Factory was the largest, employing more than 100 workers. Using abalone and mother of pearl shell blanks imported from countries such as Australia and New Zealand, countless individuals cut buttons in factories or backyard sheds  and were often paid by the pound for their labors. By the late 1950s, the American-made pearl button industry began to disappear, replaced by modern plastic buttons and ending a legacy occasionally still glimpsed today in local backyards.

To explore the new online exhibit go to www.historicmilton.org or visit the Lydia Black Cannon Museum at 210 Union St., Milton. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday.  Suggested donation for admission is $3.  For more information, email info@historicmilton.org or call 302-684-1010.