wooden shoes

[crazyzouave]

i have been wanting to make myself a pair of confederate wooden soled shoes, i have seen an original pair in the Museum of Appalachia out here in tennessee, the civil war not being their main field of interest knew very little about the shoes, they had wooden soles with with heel plates and a strip of metal that ran the bottom edge of the sole, the upper was of leather constructed in a similer style to a federal brogan except fewer button holes, the upper was attached to the sole with what appeared to be either brass or possibly copper tacks of nails. i was wondering if anyone has seen another pair of these shoes or knows anything of them, any information would be appreciated.

Mr. Lionberger,

Please sign your full name to every post. We do not allow unsigned or anonymous posts on these forums.

Thank you,

John Stillwagon
Forum Officer

[tmattimore]

Re: wooden shoes

What you have seen is most likely a pair of civilian winter shoes sometimes called Ice cutters shoes for those who saw ice in the winter for storage. Frozen lakes, ponds and streams were often used as shortcuts from hither to yon in the winter. The wood provides much better insulation then sole leather and the irons are for grip, note the deep channel in the irons seen on most of these. I have not seen the ones you mention but most came with a steeply curved toe to make walking easier. I have seen a few in new england with thick felted wool insoles and linings. Not a shoe made for marching but better then frostbite.

[rebyank]

Re: wooden shoes

I have seen a pair of shoes exactly as you describe at a CW collectors show up near chicago. brass tacks thick wood bottom. other than that, I have no info, it was a few years back, they just stuck out in my memory, having never seen wooden soled shoes before.

[tmattimore]

Re: wooden shoes

Antique dealers have been passing these off as C.S. shoes for at least the last 30 years. I would not say that no confederate ever wore a pair but in my younger days I saw many of these in antique shops and flea markets in new england. A fellow shoe maker from New Hampshire still has his grandfathers pair circa 1900 he was a farmer and an Ice cutter.

[Johan Steele]

Re: wooden shoes

They are ice cutter shoes, I wouldn't suggest marching in them... They are still not all that uncommon in Wisconson & Minnesota. I have no idea how they got CS provenance... I found a pair in my grandparents attic from circa 1900-1910. THey are the same style as the ones I've seen in museums, I believe the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah IA has a pair as described by Crazy Zouve. They certainly are not CS manufacture though the time period would be about right.

[crazyzouave]

Re: wooden shoes

thank you for clearing this up, i never would have used wooden shoe's for campaigning, wooden soles dont flex right.

Mr. Lionberger,

Please sign your full name to every post. We do not allow unsigned or anonymous posts on these forums.

This is your SECOND warning.

Thank you,

John Stillwagon
Forum Officer