‘I truly am a political junkie’: Check out Carl Toepel’s massive campaign button collection

By Michele Fiore

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    HOWARDS GROVE, Wisconsin (WDJT) — There’s an old saying…don’t tell me where your priorities are, show me where you spend your money, and I’ll tell you what they are. One Sheboygan County man racked up quite a collection of campaign memorabilia over the years, but it’s not about the buttons, more so, it’s about what the buttons represent.

“I hope this hobby doesn’t die out,” said Carl Toepel, collector of American political history.

Carl Toepel’s got quite a collection in his Howards Grove home.

“I wish I would’ve counted them, yea too many. It was like eating popcorn. You know you had to have more so,” said Toepel.

Toepel’s excited to show off his lifetime hobby. Multiple frames take up his entire dining room table for our interview, lucky us, because typically he keeps these historical artifacts stored away flat in a closet.

“Sometimes with hanging they come loose unless you have them tightened,” said Toepel.

It’s only a small part of the thousands of items this political enthusiast has acquired over the years. Buttons dating back to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco in 1956. This is Toepel as a door keeper that year at age 17.

“Oh, in fact with the door keeper thing I even got next to the podium one day,” said Toepel.

As the country voted to re-elect Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 1956 RNC was Toepel’s first introduction to campaign buttons.

“People were wearing buttons and I thought oh this is neat,” said Toepel.

And so, it began.

“Well, some people collect stamps, some people collect coins, some people collect postcards, and I was just, I think the word would be infatuated with the buttons -25 and I could hardly go past something without, oh I need some,” said Toepel.

Name a U.S. President in the last century and Toepel likely has a button with his face on it. The assortment includes door passes and tickets to National Conventions, pictures taken at those conventions and bumper stickers. It’s candidates who were elected, and ones who lost the race.

“Favorite buttons? I like Ike, Nixon and Eisenhower, and then probably Ford because he was the only unelected president although he was the nominee in 1976,” said Toepel.

The Howards Grove resident acquired much of his collection attending nearly every national convention for the Republican Party since 1956 as a delegate, alternate delegate, or guest.

“Years ago, the Democratic and Republican headquarters would have buttons free. Oh but that has all changed. In fact, where are campaigns putting their money now? Media. They want to advertise on your channel rather than sending Carl a button (giggles)” said Toepel.

Toepel’s preserved the memories, keeping some and giving some away. Utah Senator Mitt Romney wrote back, thanking him for a meaningful donation. “The bumper stickers, newspaper articles, and pins from my father’s presidential campaign recall very fond memories.”

“As different people have different hobbies, I truly am a political junkie,” said Toepel.

Toepel even started collecting campaign memorabilia from U.S. Senators. All of that, he and his family donated to the Smithsonian National Museum in Washington D.C. Closer to home, the Toepel gave many election collectibles to places they believe would treasure them.

You can see part of Carl’s collection for yourself. He and his wife Marilyn donated part of it to the Mead Public Library in Sheboygan and they keep adding to it.

Over the years, Toepel’s met 11 U.S. Presidents, often at political rallies.

“Milwaukee has Summerfest. Well in Plains, Georgia, they have the Peanut Fest and President and Mrs. Carter were in the parade, then they would sit on the sidelines and sign books,” said Toepel.

Sometimes he didn’t have to travel far to get there.

“And we were walking down Wisconsin Avenue and believe it or not, here comes Ronald Reagan,” said Toepel.

And it’s not just Republicans.

“I met John Kennedy in the Student Union building in Oshkosh when I was a student. We waited an entire morning to meet President Clinton and Helmuth Kohl, and it rained. We got wet. Five to 12 the sun came out. 12:00 President Clinton and Helmuth Kohl came to the park. It was fun,” said Toepel.

Toepel’s in his 80s now. Standing in line for hours like that is no longer an option, but the love he has for politics rages on. And even now, this summer, Toepel served as an alternate delegate in Milwaukee.

“I love Wisconsin and Milwaukee is really our future. I’m happy that it was such a happy event,” said Toepel.

Milwaukee was Toepel’s 13th RNC, and like his ambition to meet Presidents from both parties, his collection is not just Republicans.

“This is bipartisan. I believe I’m an American first and then a party member. The collection has democrats and republicans and how did I get them all? Either through stopping at headquarters, going to APIC national conventions, and especially buying some of the older ones which now have become more valuable,” said Toepel.

APIC stands for American Political Item Collectors APIC The group’s been a great asset. It’s where he found one of his prized possessions, this button from the 1896 Presidential election.

“With the membership we get a monthly bandwagon of what buttons are for sale, trade, where the political shows will be,” said Toepel.

A chance for political junkies to buy, sell and trade.

“And it’s like going to the state fair. Instead of seeing displays there, it’s all buttons,” said Toepel.

But APIC is also a place for friendship. Toepel may have a lot of campaign buttons, but those relationships are what keep him coming back.

“Through the hobby I met the most interesting people in both parties who love our country and love political history. They look at the button as a tiny piece of history,” said Toepel.

And Toepel’s even preserved his own history on a button. Look that’s him from his time as a Sheboygan alderman.

A button crush, started in his teens, that’s matured into love for his country, politics, and fellow American history fans.

“We’ve gotten to many cities, and it’s been quite a ride,” said Toepel.

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