It all began in 1905. In a small Minnesota town called Red Wing. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society
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 Charles Beckman (1905) In 1905, Charles Beckman, a successful local shoe merchant, created the Red Wing Shoe Company with 14 other investors. |
 Original Boot (1905) The original work boot from Red Wing’s first year featured leather, buckles and laces for a secure fit. |
 Cutting Room (1908) The first generation of shoe making craftsmen cut Red Wing's heavy-weight leather by hand. |
 Plant 1 (1908) The original Red Wing Shoe plant was located on the corner of Main Street and Potter.
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 Oil King Boots (1920) With the introduction of boots for oil field workers, Red Wing started developing specialty work boots to meet specific occupational needs.
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 Gloria (1926) The original Red Wing women's boot, the Gloria debuted in the 1926 catalog.
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 Billy Boot (1932) The Billy Boot featured a side snap pocket for a pocket knife, making it one of the company’s top-selling styles.
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 The Original Marion (1932) Miss Donna Mae Kohn is wearing Red Wing Boot No. 3961 with her drum major's uniform. Photo courtesy of Red Wing Shoe Co. archives.
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 Mobile Shoe Sales (1940 – 1964) Red Wing introduced its first mobile shoe sales service, allowing workers to buy shoes at their workplace.
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 Irish Setter (1952) The 877 was introduced. The leather’s color mirrored the coat of an Irish Setter.
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 Plant 2 (1964) A second plant opened in Red Wing, just three miles away from the original facility.
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 Rockwell Ads (1966) Renowned American artist Norman Rockwell was hired to create ads for the company.
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 S.B. Foot Tanning Company (1986) Originally founded in 1872 on the banks of Trout Brook, S.B. Foot was acquired by Red Wing in 1987.
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 Centennial (2005) In 2005, Red Wing celebrated its centennial anniversary. A size 638 ½ D boot was built in honor of the milestone, standing 16 feet tall and weighing 2,300 pounds, qualifying it for a Guinness World Record.
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 Women's Heritage Collection (2016) Celebrating our 90 year history of making indispensable footwear for independent women.
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