Industry & Manufacturing - Overview
The Museum's collections document centuries of remarkable changes in products, manufacturing processes, and the role of industry in American life. In the bargain, they preserve artifacts of great ingenuity, intricacy, and sometimes beauty.
The carding and spinning machinery built by Samuel Slater about 1790 helped establish the New England textile industry. Nylon-manufacturing machinery in the collections helped remake the same industry more than a century later. Machine tools from the 1850s are joined by a machine that produces computer chips. Thousands of patent models document the creativity of American innovators over more than 200 years.
The collections reach far beyond tools and machines. Some 460 episodes of the television series Industry on Parade celebrate American industry in the 1950s. Numerous photographic collections are a reminder of the scale and even the glamour of American industry.
"Industry & Manufacturing - Overview" showing 13 items.
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George McClellan Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this token during the early 20th century. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, medals, coins, and tokens.
- Obverse: Bust of George McClellan facing left. The legend reads: MAJ. GEN. G. B. McCLELLAN, PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1541
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1541
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
- This campaign badge features a tintype photograph of George B. McClellan in a circular brass frame. The tintype is labeled “G.B. M’CLELLAN.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1094
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1094
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
- Obverse: Tintype photograph of George B. McClellan in a brass frame. The frame has two shields flanking the photograph. Legend reads: FOR PRESIDENT G. B. McCLELLAN.
- Reverse: Tintype photograph of George H. Pendleton. The legend reads: FOR VICE PRESIDENT GEO. H. PENDLETON.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- Pendleton, George Hunt
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1101
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1101
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
- Obverse: Tintype photograph of George B. McClellan imbedded into a circular brass frame. The tintype is labeled “M’CLELLAN.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1105
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1105
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges. This badge has a hole in the rim indicating it was worn.
- Obverse: Labeled photograph of George B. McClellan. The rim is inscribed: THE CONSTITUTION AS IT IS 1864.
- Reverse: Labeled photograph of George Pendleton. Stars around the rim. Legend reads: PAT. APR 2, 1861.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- Pendleton, George Hunt
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1129
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1129
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George McClellan Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1861. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals. This medal has a hole at the top so the medal could be worn on an article of clothing.
- Obverse: Bust of George McClellan facing left. Legend reads: MAJOR GENERAL GEO. B. McCLELLAN/War OF 1861.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1220
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1220
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George McClellan Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1861. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals.
- Obverse: Bust of George McClellan facing left. The legend reads: MAJOR GENERAL Geo B. McCLELLAN WAR OF 1861.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1223
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1223
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including campaign badges.
- Obverse: Bust of George B. McClellan facing forward. Legend reads, MAJ. GEN. GEO. B. McCLELLAN, U.S.A.
- Reverse: Eagle with a ribbon that reads “E Pluribus Unum” perched on the shield of the United States with the American flag is draped across a spear. The legend reads: MY COUNTRY I AM SWORN TO DEFEND.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1072
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1072
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
- Obverse: Bust of George B. McClellan facing left, surrounded by a wreath. Legend reads: MAJ. GEN. GEO. B. McCLELLAN.
- Reverse: Image of a shield that is surrounded by flags and a “liberty cap.” Legend reads: THE PEOPLES CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT 1864.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1081
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1081
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George B. McClellan Campaign Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
- Obverse: Bust of George B. McClellan facing left. The legend reads: GEORGE B. McCLELLAN.
- Reverse: Image of an eagle with shield, clutching arrows and an olive branch in its talons. The legend reads: THE UNION MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- McClellan, George B.
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1092
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1092
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center