Blog Post

World's Largest Boot, world record in Red Wing, Minnesota

Feb 22, 2024

Red Wing, Minnesota, United States--In 2005, Red Wing Shoe Company celebrated their centennial anniversary by crafting a size 638 ½ D (US) boot which resides in the Red Wing Flagship Shoe Store in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota; the boot was built using the very same design and materials used to build the Red Wing Shoes classic style number 877, and sets the world record for being the World's Largest Boot, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"Situated in the quaint town of Red Wing, Minnesota, this oddity was created to celebrate the Red Wing Shoe Company’s 100th birthday. Composed from the hides of around 80 cows and over 20 feet tall, the boot could fit a giant taller than the Statue of Liberty," the Atlas Obscura says.

"Over 80 pounds of brass was used to create the eyelets for the sized 638 1/2 D boot. The boot is a scaled-up model of the company’s most popular shoes, style number 877.

"Along with the giant boot, the accompanying museum displays the history of the company and the boot making process. The museum also pays homage to the advertisements created for the company by Norman Rockwell."

"The museum is home to the world’s largest boot, a size 638 1/2 that stands at over 20 feet tall. The Museum also offers hands-on exhibits, a virtual tour through the factory and much more. Check out the Norman Rockwell original art gallery featuring footwear ads from the 1960s. The museum is free and open seven days a week, same hours as the retail store," the official website says.

"The William D. "Bill" Sweasy Exhibit- New in 2015 is the exhibit focusing on W.D. "Bill" Sweasy, president of Red Wing Shoe Company, 1949-1972, and Chairman of the Board until his death in 1991. The exhibit explores his vision and leadership through a selection of significant business initiatives that he championed within the company and the community.Click to learn more about The William D. “Bill” Sweasy Exhibit

"The Big Boot- In 2005, Red Wing Shoe Company celebrated their centennial anniversary by crafting a size 638 ½ D (US) boot which resides in the Red Wing Flagship Shoe Store in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota. Aside from its enormous size, the world's largest boot was built using the very same design and materials used to build the Red Wing Shoes classic style number 877. The boot serves as a testament to the craftsmanship and unmistakable quality of Red Wing Shoes footwear."

"As part of Red Wing Shoe Company’s Centennial, the World’s Largest Boot was created to celebrate generations of shoemaking
craftsmen whose labor and dedication to quality built the company and its reputation," the official website says.

"The boot was constructed in the original Red Wing Shoe facility at 127 Main Street, Red Wing, Minnesota, the same location where the company first opened its doors in 1905. Over 60 individuals (employees and retirees) volunteered their time to construct the boot.

STYLE877
The style selected was the 877, Red Wing’s iconic work boot. First
introduced in 1952, the 877’s white crepe sole, rich Oro-iginal leather
and white stitching detail is classic Red Wing.
Size: 6381⁄2 D (US), 638 (UK), 850 (EUR)
Length: 20 feet ■ Width: 7 feet ■ Height: 16 feet ■ Weight: 2,300 lbs.
(1,150 lb. sole and 1,150 lb. leather upper)
■ A person fitting this boot would stand 120 feet (12 stories) tall.
■ The boot lace is 21⁄4" in diameter and 104 feet long.
■ Sole is 20" thick at heel, 11" at toe and is capable of bending
similar to a real sole.

THE CONSTRUCTION
■ 4,000 hours total for design, engineering and fabrication.
■ 13 months to complete. Actual fabrication of the boot required
5 months.
■ The boot was built using a last. The same process used in the
regular production of boots.
■ The last was made of interlocking plywood ribs and covered with
fiberboard.
■ The leather was joined together using the same thread and sewing
machines used in our regular production of boots.
■ The final stitching required lowering a person into the boot via a
pulley system.
■ The gusset label was sewn on a tapestry loom in Italy.
■ An actual lock stitch was used to join all the components.

"Snap a selfie with the World’s Largest Boot! The Red Wing Shoe Company Museum showcases the big boot, Wall of Honor, and the history and heritage of Red Wing Shoes, complete with original Norman Rockwell illustrations and a virtual tour through the factory," the Explore Minnesota says.

"The museum is free and open seven days a week, located inside the flagship Red Wing Shoes retail and outlet store in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota."

"Hundreds of people lined the streets of downtown Red Wing Tuesday morning to see the world's largest boot being moved to its new permanent home," the NBC News says.

"The Red Wing Shoe Company moved its world's largest boot from their factory to its new shoe museum and retail store in Red Wing. Red Wing Shoe volunteer employees and retirees constructed the world's largest boot which is 16 feet tall and is a size 638 1/2 D.

"The world's largest boot was moved down Main Street in to its new permanent location in Red Wing Shoe's new museum and retail store. The museum will offer free admission and is expected to attract over 48,000 visitors a year."

"In case you haven’t guessed, the Red Wing Shoe Company Museum is next on the #mnbucketlist. Home of the The World’s Largest Boot," the mnbucketlist.com says.

"Built using the very same design and materials used to build the Red Wing Shoes classic style number 877, and used as the centerpiece in 2005 for Red Wing Shoes centennial anniversary. It’s a whopping U.S. size 638 ½ D, 16 feet tall, 20 feet long, and weighs over a ton. 2

"The roadside attraction is complete with gigantic laces and massive metal eyelets. The boot sits in the lobby of the flagship Red Wing Shoe Store in Red Wing where it spends most of its time inside, occasionally coming out for parades and events."

"Want to see the world’s largest boot? Stop by Red Wing Shoes’ store in Red Wing, Minnesota, to pose with 20 x 16 foot (no pun intended), size 638 ½ D Red Wing classic that sits at the store’s entrance," the engagestar.com says.

"Thanks to the “selfie station” Star created, customers can perfectly position themselves next to the Red Wing boot and logo for memorable shots that can be shared on social media.

"What’s more, to make the most of this unique lead-generation opportunity, the selfie station also makes it easy for Red Wing to collect visitor email addresses for follow-up by the company’s sales and marketing team."

"Add the world's largest boot to the pantheon of superlatives kicking around the Midwest. The Red Wing Shoe Co. has moved its 16-foot-tall, size 638 1/2-D classic work boot inside its new Shoe Museum, opening by the end of the month in Red Wing, Minn., the ABC News says.

"Besides the boot, which the company created in 2005 to celebrate its centennial, the museum will have displays on Red Wing Shoe Co.'s history.

"The new space, across the street from the original shoe store, will also offer customized boot fittings and tours of the shoe factory."