J. C. Penney - Hamilton, MO
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member YoSam.
N 39° 44.601 W 093° 59.924
15S E 414429 N 4399749
If you drive through Hamilton, you have to really pay attention to see this home on your own. If you stop at the new museum, they will gladly give you a key - or even guide you- through the home.
Waymark Code: WMJ7EC
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 10/06/2013
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Queens Blessing
Views: 6
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County of Home: Caldwell County
Location of Home: Next to new bank, on MO 13, Hamilton
Next to the sidewalk near the home is a display of millstones
No Marker Exists for the Home
James Cash Penney was born September 16, 1875 , here in Hamilton, Missouri. He established a chain of department stores across the nation and used the old fashioned values of he learned in Hamilton as a foundation of his business ad personnel life. The late retailing magnate, who died in 1971 at age 95, maintained a close relationship with his hometown. Penney donated to the first library, the shoe factory, the high school, Highland Cemetery and the American Legion Park.
During his lifetime, he refused to have any memorials in his name. But today, Hamilton has a beautiful Museum that houses the public library and a well-used community room, as well as his boyhood home.

A little history of the place:
After Caldwell County was organized in 1836, Far West, a community created by Mormons, served as the county seat until 1842. Following the expulsion of the Mormons by local militia, the county seat was moved to Kingston. A two-story structure that served as the county's second courthouse was destroyed by fire in April of 1860. A new courthouse costing $20,000 was built but fire again consumed it in 1896. The present building was constructed in 1898. It is now listed on the National register of Historic Places.

Name of Famous Person: J. C. penney

Physical Address: Penney Lane & N. Davis St. (MO 13), Hamilton, MO

What is this person famous for?:
Founder of J. C. Penney's Department stores.

Website verifying legitimacy of site: [Web Link]

Additional Website verifying Site legitimacy: [Web Link]

Personal Experience:
I stopped because of an unusual weathervane running next to the bank and just west of the tree line. I did not even see the house, because of the trees. As I approached the house, a painter was working next to the new mural. I talked with him a while. He was a WWII veteran. The library building next to this house was built by J.C. Penney for the town. He built many things and helped the town a lot, but REFUSED to have anything named after him. J.C. Penney wanted NO credit at home. The old bank building had been torn down and the mural was on the exposed wall, the lot was being cleared to make a city park for named for J.C. Penney.

Other information about area:
Continuing from above. The original J.C. Penney store still stands and is a hardware store today. It opened in 1924 and closed in 1981. The building was then the Hale Goldsberry store, then J.M. Hale store. The high school is now named for J.C. Penney.
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Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
wildernessmama visited J. C. Penney - Hamilton, MO 05/18/2023 wildernessmama visited it
YoSam. visited J. C. Penney - Hamilton, MO 09/11/2013 YoSam. visited it

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