On a recent visit to the Manchester Historical Society, Manchester, CT, I found a pamphlet published by the Cheney Brothers, founders of the Cheney Silk Mills.  The pamphlet titled "Why do You call Them Polka Dots? ", was published in 1918 to promote Spring and Summer sales of their new Cheney Showproof Foulards.  This quaint account may be familiar to some of you but it was news to me.

Why do you call them Polka Dots? 
Because a Bohemian peasant girl was a good dancer and a certain President o...

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