✅ SOLVED Whitehead & Hoag Medallion

[btortoise]

Can anyone please help identify this medallion? Dug in my yard in Plymouth, NC. This used to be a thriving riverport town, at the junction of the Roanoke River and Albemarle Sound. The banner along the top front says "COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION"' That's a steamship at port pictured. I don't have a good photo of the back but it is blank except for the inscription "The Whitehead & Hoag Company, Newark New Jersey". I'm thinking it is something one of the local merchants got or was awarded in the early 1900's when he attended some kind of convention. The only other thing I can even possibly tie it to is a Treaty between the U.S. and Japan signed in 1911 called the "Commerce and Navigation Treaty". (Later rescinded!) I've looked at over 600 photos of W & H items and can't find this one. Thanks to anyone who can help! The local Maritime Museum said they'd display it if I could actually give some facts and somehow tie it to our local history.

 

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[nhbenz]

Here's something: American Numismatic Society: Bronze Medal of National Rivers and Harbors Congress, Newark (N.J.). 0000.999.43594

 

[duggap]

Only thing I can find keeps relating to the "commerce and navigation" treaty with Japan in 1911. I wonder if your medallion is related?

 

[SkaBa]

Love the puffs of smoke coming from the factory smoke stack.

 

[btortoise]

Photo

nhbenz - thank you very much for that link. Using it, copying and pasting "7th ANNUAL CONVENTION NATIONAL RIVERS and HARBORS CONGRESS WASHINGTON, D.C. DEC. 7-8-9, 1910" led me to a site that shows a photo of the medal! That puts me way ahead of where I was information-wise yesterday. Now I have to find out who in the neighborhood would have dropped this! I'll go back to the general area and search for the top part that reads "DELEGATE". I'm finding a lot of things in my 2 lots, the Civil War Battle of Plymouth, April 1864, went right through here. The church bordering my backyard was used as a hospital during the battle. The commerce into and out of this town was huge before and after the CW but steadily dwindled to basically nothing today.
Thank you again for your help and thanks to all who've looked at and replied to my "what is it".

 

[nhbenz]

This link shows the delegates by state, if that helps; Proceedings. Annual Convention - Google Books

Oh, and Welcome to TreasureNet!

 

[btortoise]

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the link! That is going to be an interesting read. I'll see if I recognize any name(s). If not, there are some old timers around here that surely know more local history than me.

 

[nhbenz]

I note the medal you posted is for the 8th convention, in 1911, so the delegates may be different I suppose. I don't know if maybe they used the same bottom for both years?

 

[cudamark]

Welcome to Tnet! Cool find!

 

[btortoise]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to mark this one "solved" if I can figure how to do it! Now I know what it is, from what period, and even have some NC people's names to reference. The courthouse is right next door so I should be able to go research who lived in the house(s) that used to be on the vacant lot I own and found this on. Maybe I can find a match and write up a decent presentation for donation to the Plymouth Maritime Museum.