Kaut-Reith Shoe Company (former), 200 South River Street (later Steadley Company; now Leggett & Platt)

Introduction

This factory building was originally built in 1914 for $30,000 for use by the Kaut-Reith Shoe Company based in Saint Louis, Missouri. It was the first of many shoe manufacturers in Carthage, Missouri, during the 1910s and 1920s when the Carthage Chamber of Commerce was encouraging that particular industry. Juvenile Shoe Corporation moved to this building by 1919-20 and operated a few years before adding another plant at 100 South Main. All Juvenile Shoe operations in Carthage ceased around 1926. In Carthage, this factory is more commonly known as the Steadley factory from the building's history as a bed springs manufacturer. This association began shortly after the death of F. W. Steadley when his son Kent reorganized the Carthage Superior Bed Spring Manufacturing plant formerly located on North Main and moved into this River Street facility under the name of the Steadley Company. This company operated for many decades before being acquired by Leggett and Platt, Inc., in 1996.

Images

Sources

Additional Information

• Factory, c 1914, Shoe and Leather Reporter, Dec. 2, 1914, pg 29 (vol. 116) courtesy Google Books.
• Juvenile employees, c 1922, Boot and Shoe Recorder, Nov, 11, 1922, pg 102 (vol. 82) courtesy Google