[SUBMITTED PHOTO]This is a Jefferson Peace Medal. It has Thomas Jefferson’s image on this side and two shaking hands on the back. President George Washington started the tradition of handing out peace medals and it continued through the 19th century. It is one of two objects in the long and complicated story of official relations between the United States and native nations. The other was the peace pipe. Lewis and Clark carried and distributed a large number of peace medals to Native Americans. This medal was donated to the Botetourt Historical Museum by Emily Honts. It is upstairs in the Pioneer Room with more information.
