During the late 19th century, Sedalia boosters regularly tried to entice manufacturing firms to locate factories in Sedalia. The Commercial Club, a forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, worked diligently to bring new industries to Sedalia.
Boosters such as I. Mac DeMuth cited several factors that made Sedalia a good location. The most important factor was Sedalia’s connections on the Missouri Pacific, the MK&T, the Sedalia, Warsaw, and Southern, and the Lexington Branch railroads.
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