J.C. Penney Historic District

By A Mystery Man Writer

Today J.C. Penney is a household name, with over 1,000 stores worldwide. The company is known for its department store brand, selling clothing, jewelry, and housewares. It is named for James Cash Penney, who opened his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming, in 1902. Penney was born in 1875 in Hamilton, Missouri, to a struggling farm family. If their son’s middle name is any indication, they were hopeful of a more prosperous life in the future. By the age of 8, James was told he was financially responsible for his own clothing, thus giving him an incentive to earn money at a young age.