Just the other day, in an Email from my cousin, came information that an old button box that had belonged to my great-grandmother Zilpha Shipman Boss was on display at the Wahkiakum County Museum in Cathlamet, Washington. My Aunt Elsie and Uncle Ralph lived most of their adult lives in Cathlamet and at some time Aunt Elsie must have given the museum the old button box that had once belonged to her grandmother Boss. Now since Zilpha Shipman Boss died in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota on September 8, 1910 the button box must be well over 100 years old. It appears to be cracked and there’s no lid, and it’s doubtful that all the buttons it contained belonged to Grandma Boss.

According to the museum curator the container is 3 1/2 high and 4 1/2 across. It has the look of something hand made. There are many buttons displayed near the box, too many to have been contained in the button box all at the same time, and they may have been added by Aunt Elsie or others… but they’re interesting anyway:

These buttons and the box are in the possession of the Wahkiakum County Historical Museum in Cathlamet. Check out this link for more information on this beautiful area on the banks of the Columbia River.