Common Thread

By Gina Kaufmann,

Published September 9, 2015 at 1:17 PM CDT

In the 1930s, the garment industry was huge in Kansas City, in both manufacturing and retail. It employed a lot of local women — particularly immigrant women. What was the KC garment industry like in its heyday, and what happened to it?

Guests:

Monroe Dodd, KCUR's resident historian
Michele Boeckholt, author of Harzfeld's: A Brief History
Harvey Fried, co-founder of Kansas City Garment District Museum

Tags

Central Standard Kansas City History Garment District

Gina Kaufmann

People don't make cameos in news stories; the human story is the story, with characters affected by news events, not defined by them. As a columnist and podcaster, I want to acknowledge what it feels like to live through this time in Kansas City, one vantage point at a time. Together, these weekly vignettes form a collage of daily life in Kansas City as it changes in some ways, and stubbornly resists change in others. You can follow me on Twitter @GinaKCUR or email me at gina@kcur.org.

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Matthew Long-Middleton

Matthew Long-Middleton has been a talk-show producer, community producer, Media Training Manager and now the Community Engagement Manager at KCUR. You can reach him at Matthew@kcur.org, or on Twitter @MLMIndustries.

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