Last month’s historical meeting helps some get acquainted with long lost shoe company

Barry Featheringill
Sullivan Reporter

In October of 1929 the Brown Shoe Company of St. Louis, Missouri signed an agreement with the city of Sullivan, to build a shoe factory. The facility was to cost $300,000 and the city of Sullivan was to provide $125,000 of that amount, secure the site which was 321 South Hamilton Street, and pay all property taxes for 10 years. Brown Shoe was to have an employee base of approximately 400 and came to have a great relationship with the city of Sullivan for 45 years.

These were the opening remarks by former Brown Shoe employee Gerald Watkins at the Moultrie County Historical Society meeting Thursday September 19.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.