Charles Beckman founded Red Wing Shoe Company in 1905.

Charles Beckman dreamed of making footwear that would actually fit. Shoes that were so finely crafted, people everywhere would go about their business feeling good. He made that dream a reality...and a shoe factory was born on the banks of the Mississippi River in Red Wing Minnesota.

This pair of Red Wing boots is claimed to be the first pair ever produced back in 1905. As the story goes, company treasurer Hiram Howe picked them out for his son, Horace. Horace wore them for years and then tucked them away in an attic, unable to separate himself from his beloved boots.