Kansas City Garment District Museum facts for kids
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Entrance
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| Location | 801 Broadway St. Poindexter Building Kansas City, Missouri |
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| Owner | KC Parks Department |
The Kansas City Garment District Museum is a special place. It is found in the lobby of the Poindexter Building. This building is in the Garment District (Kansas City, Missouri). The museum is also part of the larger Kansas City Museum.
Contents
About the Museum
The Kansas City Garment District Museum first opened in 2002. It was started by two people, Ann Brownfield and Harvey Fried. They wanted to show the history of clothing made in Kansas City.
How the Museum Grew
In 2015, Ann Brownfield and Harvey Fried decided to retire. They gave more than 300 pieces of clothing and accessories to the Kansas City Museum. These were all items made right in Kansas City. This donation made the Kansas City Museum's collection even bigger. It already had over 20,000 historical clothes and textiles.
The Garment District Park
Right across the street from the museum is the Garment District Place Park. This park was opened in 2010. It has a beautiful fountain. There is also a tall, 22-foot sculpture shaped like a needle. This "Needle" sculpture is a tribute to the area's history of making clothes.
History of the Garment District
Many of the buildings near the museum are very old. They were built in the 1870s. These buildings are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
Clothing Production in Kansas City
In the early 1920s, clothing factories started in these buildings. They made coats, suits, dresses, and hats. They also made clothes for children. After World War I, the clothing industry grew a lot.
By the 1940s, more than 4,000 people worked in this area. Kansas City was very proud of its clothing industry. It was said that one out of every seven women in the United States bought a garment made in Kansas City. Making clothes was the second largest job provider in Kansas City, Missouri.
Images for kids
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Dress from the 2012 Holiday Collection
