J.C. Penney store. The business empire's founder, James Cash Penney of Hamilton, Missouri, died on this date in history.

February 12, 1971

This date in Missouri history: Missouri native J.C. Penney dies at the age of 91. James Cash Penney was a Missouri business icon who changed the retail industry while also changing millions of lives around the world.


Everyday Life on the Way of the American Genius

A bike ride across Highway 36 reveals wonder in the minutiae of Missouri.