This Was J.C. Penney: A Century of Main Street Department Stores

Since 1927, Sidney's J.C. Penney store--one of the oldest in the state--has been a commercial mainstay through good times and bad. David Kruger discusses the origins and growth of the Penney stores from their start in Wyoming to their spread throughout the nation. He shows how Penney's "Golden Rule" of "doing unto others" led to its incredible success. Kruger was born in Baker, raised in Fallon County, and hold graduate degrees from Kansas State University and University of Missouri. He is the agricultural research librarian at the University of Wyoming. Presented at the 2013 Montana History Conference in Sidney.