Labeled Ft Bridger Wyoming mid 1800s button up shoes made by Huge H Hibbitt Philadelphia handwritten inside Start Price USD 24.95 Current Price USD 124.49 Time Left - Bid Count 4 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, August 19, 2008 End Time Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Location McCook, NE See more about 'Labeled Ft Bridger Wyoming mid 1800s button up shoes' Description   This pair of mid 1800's, low-heeled button shoes are in considerably good condition. The black, calf skin leather is still soft & supple & free of water staining & odors. The label of the shoemaker "Hugh H. Hibbitt, Phila" is sewn onto the inside top of the left shoe. This style could have been worn by either a man or a woman.   They are approximately 11" long, 4" at the widest part of the foot &  8" tall including the 1-1/4" heel. They are finely crafted & "craftily mended" around the button holes as they wore out. A button is missing from each side. The soles are nailed -- probably having been resoled at some point. There are metal wear guards on the heels. I've left the dried, gravely mud as found, imagining that it comes from the roads of historical Fort Bridger.   The right shoe tell's us a hint of that story in the several lines of notes  handwritten in ink on the inside. Perhaps they were written by the shoemaker, as they seem to be some sort of mailing address or ordering information. There are eight lines (see photos for more info -- the dots simply indicate the faded or illegible words I can't read):  "Fort Bridjer;  No. 140 Z...... ; To 878. 9; Mrs. ............ Marsh; Ln West; 3/4 .....ul ; ............. john ; Comm Jen .......  Cash"   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   Footnote: Fort Bridger, along the Black's Fork of the Green River (Wyoming), was established  in 1842 as a fur trading outpost by mountain men, Jim Bridger and Louis Vasquez. From the 1840s - 60s, it served as an important resupply stop for the wagon trains traveling the Oregon, California & Mormon Trails. Mormon settlers didn't get along well with Bridger & reportedly, in 1855, purchased it from Bridger for $8,000 in gold coins.  In 1857, the U.S. government dispatched troops to settle the conflict. In response, a group of Mormon guerilla militia, the Nauvoo Legion, burned down Fort Bridger, their Fort Supply & set fire to 72 supply wagons & prairie grass & stampeded thousands of cattle.   Fort Bridger was soon rebuilt & was turned over to William Alexander Carter, who ran it quite successfully. In 1869, it was made obsolete as a resupply stop when the The Union Pacific Railroad was constructed. It continued to be used as a station on the Pony Express and Overland Stage Routes until the 1890's when it was abandoned. Web sources cited: Wikipedia & History Globe   Please feel free to ask questions. Combined s & h for multiple purchases. Quick careful shipping! Check out my other items!   Place a Bid!