Commems Collection Medals: 1951 Eaton Chemicals - Detroit 250th Anniversary

I've written previously about the 1951 commemorative medal for the 250th Anniversary of Detroit, MI (link below). In that post, I promised to write another for a second 1951 Detroit commemorative medal by the same Sculptor/Designer - Rene Chambellan. Here it is!

The second Detroit Anniversary medal in my collection was sponsored by the Eaton Chemical and Dyestuff Company. On a side note, I tend to believe that at least one senior executive at Eaton at the time was a coin/medal collector as Eaton sponsored several medals over the years to celebrate its business. I acknowledge that issuing a medal to commemorate the anniversary of a major corporate milestone was fairly common from the 1930s to 1960s, but when a company issues multiple medals over time, I'm led to believe strong support was to be found "at the top." (Maybe I'll dig out another Eaton corporate medal - my Eaton Company Centennial Medal - for a future post!)

The medal's obverse depicts Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac coming ashore and having his first encounter with the Native Americans who inhabited the area that would become present-day Detroit. Accompanying Cadillac is a priest (holding a cross) and a flag bearer; Cadillac's boat/canoe can be seen in the (Detroit) river behind the French figures. Cadillac and the French colonists he came with, built a fort/trading post, settled the area and founded Detroit.

(My other Detroit 250th Anniversary Medal post includes additional early Detroit history. I've chosen not to repeat it here; a link to it is found below.

The reverse of the medal features a circa-1838 commercial scene, with the American Hotel and the adjacent original location of Thomas H. Eaton Drugs - the roots of the Eaton Chemical Company. The scene in front of the businesses includes pedestrians along with a variety of horse-drawn wagons/carriages. In 1838, Detroit was a small western city with a population of just roughly 8,000. Things would certainly change by 1951!

Theodore H. Eaton - Founder

(Image Credit: Ninety Years 1838-1928: The Story of the Eaton-Clark Company. Public Domain.)


From its humble beginnings, Eaton Drugs grew to become a major chemical manufacturing and distributing company and a prominent business within the Detroit community. The company grew by evolving with the times, expanding its product line and creating new products to meet changing commercial needs. The business operated in Detroit from 1838 to 1968, it then moved to Romulus, MI (a suburb of Detroit). The original company appears to no longer be in business, through an Eaton Chemicals is currently operating in Riverside, MO.

The 2-7/8" bronze Eaton-Detroit medal was struck by Medallic Art Company of New York.

I think Chambellan did a great job with each of the Detroit 250th Anniversary medals, especially the obverse of each, and I'm glad to have nice examples of each in my collection.


Eaton Chemical and Dye Stuff Company - Detroit 250th Anniversary Medal



For my post on the Official Detroit, MI 250th Anniversary Medal, check out:

- Detroit, MI 250th Anniversary Medal


For other of my posts about commemorative medals and coins, check out: Commems Collection.