Great seal button help

[Oneil1979]

I dug this button today, it was my last hole of the day and my only good find, I thought it was a WW1 button, happy to not get skunked! I just started to examine it and its not like any WW1 great seal button ive dug ( I have several) this one has {I.S.} above the eagle and {MICH.}Under the eagle. The back mark needs to be detailed but i usually wount clean or preserve until I know exactly what I am dealing with, Figured some history genius on here may be able to help? Quick internet search yielded nothing.

[fyrffytr1]

That's a button from the Michigan Industrial School. I'll do a little looking and see if I can find a time period.

[fyrffytr1]

There isn't much on the internet about the school. It appears that it was a reform school established in 1856 and shut down in 1972.
Here's a link: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071269032;view=1up;seq=19

[Full Metal Digger]

I notice the arrows are in the eagle's right talon and the eagle faces them (war). Usually the arrows are in the left talon and the eagle faces towards peace (olive branch). I found a Spanish American War button that had the exact same depiction. Perhaps yours also dates to the late 1890s?

[calabash digger]

cool find!

[Oneil1979]

Thank you all for the replies, The property dates from 1600’s until about 1970 but the items I find are typically 1880-1920. The original estate had been developed but this property is the founder of frenchs mustard and also the original smith kline pharmaceutical ( now glaxo, smith klien) . I have located several civil war buttons but I am thinking someone was just wearing one of the school jackets hunting this property, its over 60 acres but becomes vey very diffiucult to hunt once the vegetation starts to grow, I am hopeing to research the school more and put a tooth pic to the back mark maybe I can get more info and will update the thread. Nice catch on the arrows I wouldnt have noticed!

[fyrffytr1]

If you have Albert's button book it is listed on page 331 as SU 226 MIch. I. S., Michigan Industrial School. The picture of your button is on page 332. A backmark will help date it a little better. And, if we can find more information about the school that might tell us when the name was changed to "Industrial School". There is no more info in Alberts book other than what I have posted here.

[aloldstuff]

That's a really nice find....:thumbsup02: