Artwork, Ephemera, Photographs
A postcard of the Thomas G. Plant Shoe Factory from the early 20th century. In 1919, workers of the Plant Factory started a year-and-a-half-long strike in an attempt to shut the shoe factory down.
This image is a scan of the front of a postcard featuring the Thomas G. Plant Shoe Factory in Jamaica Plain, MA. This factory was built by Thomas Gustave Plant in the late 1800s and in its many work rooms employees made “Queen Quality Shoes.” It was one of the largest shoe factories in the world at the time, and Plant put all kinds of facilities into the building for the benefit of his workers, including a day care, swimming pool, library, and gym. Right around the time of the Plant Shoe Factory strike, Plant sold the factory to the United Shoe Company. In the 1950s the building was sold again and converted into apartments and small businesses. It remained in use until the ’70s. To learn more about the factory and the arson that eventually ended the life of this fascinating building, check out this article on the Jamaica Plain Historical Society website.
