Rolla in Phelps County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Pennington-Gilbert Shoe Company
Rolla
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 15, 2019
1. Pennington-Gilbert Shoe Company Marker
"The Pennington-Gilbert Shoe Company factory opened east of the tracks in 1926 between Seventh and Eighth streets. The city provided the site after a vigorous campaign to bring the industry to Rolla that included sales of lots in the Frisco Addition and donations by private citizens. The factory meant wage-paving jobs, especially for women, many of whom entered the workforce for the first time. The shoe factory had a tough time in the Depression, closing in 1932. Later it reopened under management of the Johnson-Stevens and Shinkle Shoe Company."John F. Bradbury, Jr., Rolla The Old Town (St. Louis: G. Bradley Publishing, Inc., 2002), p. 44.
[Captions:]
(right) 1926 street scene from the rooftop of Baltimore Hotel looking southeast over Block 8, Rolla Mill Addition toward construction site of the Pennington-Gilbert Shoe Company.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 37° 56.948′ N, 91° 46.112′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Rolla Mills (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pine Street and Downtown Rolla (about 800 feet away); National Bank (approx. 0.2 miles away); "Whiskey Row" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rollamo Theater (approx. 0.2 miles away); Campbell Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Grant Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Scott's Drugs (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rolla.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), September 15, 2019
2. Pennington-Gilbert Shoe Company Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 18, 2019. It was originally submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 225 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 18, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
