Irene Smith

Irene Smith

Irene Smith was a lawyer and teacher before becoming an owner of the revived Woman’s Industrial Exchange. Years after the Exchange closed in 2002, Irene opened the Woman’s Industrial Kitchen in 2011 to restore the environment and familiarity of the original Exchange,...
Lydia Wright

Lydia Wright

April 1974: 50th anniversary at the Exchange where Lydia Wright was gifted a corsage by the board of managers as an Easter gift to commemorate her anniversary. In December of 1975, it was decided that she would be gifted a hand-picked watch with her initials and...
Bessie Orphan

Bessie Orphan

Mrs. Bessie Orphan at the dessert counter in the WIE Shop, Photo Courtesy of the Baltimore Sun, (Unknown Date). Bessie OrphanNovember 19, 1911 – December 16, 1990   Bessie Faye Fletcher Orphan was born on November 19, 1911, in Princeton, West Virginia....
Rita Knox

Rita Knox

1921 – July 6, 2005 Rita Marie Hegarty was born around 1921 and lived in the Baltimore area for 62 years, where she attended the   now called Notre Dame of Maryland University. She was married to Elmer V. Knox. Rita was the manager of the Woman’s Industrial...
Marguerite Schertle

Marguerite Schertle

Marguerite SchertleMarch 20, 1901-April 18, 2001 Marguerite Klaus was born on March 20th, 1901 in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the identical twin of Anna Klaus. Marguerite, Anna, and their three other siblings were the children of German immigrant parents. Marguerite...