When Guttenberg was a button town

When Guttenberg was a button town

Guttenberg was once the site of several manufacturing companies that created buttons from freshwater mussel shells taken from the nearby Mississippi River. Above, workers at the Empire Pearl Button Co. pose on a mound of shells. By Bruce Thein Before the riverfront became a place for quiet walks and passing boats, it was a place of industry and for a time, Guttenberg was known for something most people would never expect: buttons. In the late 18…