Footwear trends: boots, button shoes, and the rise of mass-produced footwear (c. 1800–1900)

1. Wooden-peg soles begin replacing hand stitching

   Jan 1, 1818Labels: Wooden pegs, Shoe soles

   • SciAm Pegs
   • Fiddlebase

2. Vulcanization enables durable rubber footwear

   Jun 15, 1844Labels: Vulcanization, Charles Goodyear

   • Britannica Goodyear
   • PBS Goodyear

3. Industrial sewing patent points to leather applications

   Sep 10, 1846Labels: Elias Howe, Lockstitch

   • Britannica Howe
   • Smithsonian Howe

4. Blake patents machine for stitching soles

   Jan 1, 1858Labels: Lyman R, Blake machine

   • MassHist McKay
   • Encyc 1911

5. Civil War demand accelerates factory shoe output

   Apr 12, 1861Labels: Civil War, Military footwear

   • MassHist McKay
   • Gordon McKay

6. McKay purchases and improves the “stitcher”

   Jan 1, 1862Labels: Gordon McKay, McKay stitcher

   • MassHist McKay
   • Met Boots

7. Button boots become a mainstream factory style

   Jan 1, 1865Labels: Button boots, Victorian fashion

   • Met Boots
   • Met Boots 1860s

8. Goodyear-welt machinery improves durable construction

   Jan 1, 1869Labels: Goodyear welt, Welting machinery

   • Goodyear welt
   • Dancel

9. Buttonhooks spread as everyday fastening tools

   Jan 1, 1880Labels: Buttonhook, Footwear accessory

   • Buttonhook
   • UTSA Buttonhook

10. Metal heel and sole protectors enter the market

    Jan 1, 1880Labels: Heel protector, Sole protector

    • Blakey s Segs

11. Matzeliger patents the lasting machine

    Mar 20, 1883Labels: Jan E, Lasting machine

    • Britannica Matzeliger
    • Smithsonian Postal

12. United Shoe Machinery forms a dominant machine supplier

    Feb 1, 1899Labels: United Shoe, Machine leasing

    • United Shoe
    • Hagley Archive