Quote from Pioneer on July 28, 2013, 7:45 pm

In 1937-38, the US celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. This congressional ordinance created the Northwest Territory (modern day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and states of the Great Lakes region) [see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Ordinance ]. As the government of the NW Territory was established in Marietta, OH, the 1937-38 celebration centered around this Eastern OH town. In addition to a major play in the town, a 36-member caravan trip from Ipswich MA to Marietta OH (5 month journey) arrived on 7 Apr 1938 to commemorate the overland journey many pilgrims made. Given the ongoing great depression of the 1930s, this celebration was a morale boost to the suffering of the 1930s. Attached are some images of medals and tokens related to this event. I find it a little odd that HK-699 originates out of Dayton OH, 180 miles to the northwest of Marietta OH, but I assume there were many towns in the NW Territory that made such commemorative medals and tokens.