In the 19th century, Lake Pepin was home to a large and dense population of freshwater mussels. They supported an industry that produced buttons. Hearty individuals and families, including the Samuelson family of waterskiing fame, supported themselves by harvesting clams. The clams were brought to processing facilities that included the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company in Lake City.
At the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company, round ‘blanks’ were cut from clam shells and sent to a button manufacturing facility in Muscatine, Iowa. Some clams produced pearls which were prized as gems and used for making jewelry. The local clamming industry thrived from 1914 to 1920. During that time, natural beds of mussels were depleted by overharvesting. That, plus the introduction of plastic buttons, led to the demise of the clamming industry.
The building in which the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company operated, was built by James C. Stout in 1866 as a general merchandise store. By the mid-1900s it sat vacant, used only for storage. It remained that way for decades until about 2010 when it was restored, and reopened to the public. Located at 226 South Washington Street, it returned to the retail scene as an antique and gift shop that operates under the name Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company.
A ‘mini-museum,’ focused on the clamming and button industry, is located on the first floor of the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company. Lake City Historical Society books and gifts are available for sale as well.
Native populations of freshwater mussels continued to decline after the clamming industry collapsed, driven mostly by degraded water quality in Lake Pepin. Today, most native species of mussels are threatened or endangered. Work is underway to restore populations of these interesting animals, led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at a facility in Lake City. The Center for Aquatic Mollusk Programs (CAMP), began operation in about 2018 and raises mussels for projects all over the state.
At the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company, round ‘blanks’ were cut from clam shells and sent to a button manufacturing facility in Muscatine, Iowa. Some clams produced pearls which were prized as gems and used for making jewelry. The local clamming industry thrived from 1914 to 1920. During that time, natural beds of mussels were depleted by overharvesting. That, plus the introduction of plastic buttons, led to the demise of the clamming industry.
The building in which the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company operated, was built by James C. Stout in 1866 as a general merchandise store. By the mid-1900s it sat vacant, used only for storage. It remained that way for decades until about 2010 when it was restored, and reopened to the public. Located at 226 South Washington Street, it returned to the retail scene as an antique and gift shop that operates under the name Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company.
A ‘mini-museum,’ focused on the clamming and button industry, is located on the first floor of the Lake Pepin Pearl Button Company. Lake City Historical Society books and gifts are available for sale as well.
Native populations of freshwater mussels continued to decline after the clamming industry collapsed, driven mostly by degraded water quality in Lake Pepin. Today, most native species of mussels are threatened or endangered. Work is underway to restore populations of these interesting animals, led by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at a facility in Lake City. The Center for Aquatic Mollusk Programs (CAMP), began operation in about 2018 and raises mussels for projects all over the state.
VIDEO - Clamming on Lake Pepin 1910-1930
There was once a thriving clamming industry on Lake Pepin, a natural lake on the Mississippi River between Minnesota and Wisconsin. Freshwater mussels, some with pearls, were harvested, and their shells delivered to factories in Lake City, Minnesota and elsewhere. Buttons were cut from the shells and shipped to button manufactures for finishing. Pearls continue to be used for jewelry. Narrated by Ben Threinen, Steve Swan, and Mary Jane Rasmussen. Created for the Lake City Historical Society by Ben Threinen Film.