Walk-Over shoes

Walk-Over shoes is a historic shoe brand in the U.S. It was founded in 1874 by George Eldon Keith under the name George E. Keith Co.[1][2][3] He donated land to Brockton, Massachusetts and Keith Park was named for him.[4]

Ad in Ladies home Journal for Walk-Over ladies shoes

Shoemaking was a family business, though the brand gained recognition and popularity over the years, with George E. Keith (February 5, 1850–December 8, 1920) opening a factory and expanding the business.[5][3] In 1899, a store was established in London, and in 1902, a women's shoe line was introduced.

By 1920, Walk-Over had multiple production plants, factories, a distribution center in St. Louis, and stores in England and France.[5]It also had stores in various cities, including Detroit and Chicago, with the Detroit store located at 152 Woodward Avenue.[6][7][8] Walk-Overs were even sold by L.L. Bean when it operated as a shop.[9]

The shoes were made in the Campello section of Brockton, Massachusetts,[10] as well as Middleboro, Massachusetts.[11] In 1919, Keith gave a talk at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City about Walk-Over's export business.[12] The company filed an unfair competition suit against a store selling shoes as Walk-Overs that were not from the company.[13]

Walk-Over also made shoes under contract for department stores.[14] Walk-Over released a postcard set of 24 famous Americans to advertise its shoes.[15]

References
  1. Made in the USA: The Complete Guide to America's Finest Products. National Press Books. May 17, 1997. ISBN 9781882605330 – via Google Books.
  2. Maddigan, Mike. "The World's Greatest Shoe-Maker Makes Middleborough's Greatest Factory". southcoasttoday.com.
  3. Shoe and Leather Reporter. Shoe and Leather Reporter. May 16, 1920. pp. 40, 91.
  4. Larocque, Marc. "Brockton park fountain brought back to life". Milford Daily News. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  5. Shoe and Leather Reporter. Shoe and Leather Reporter Company. May 23, 1920. pp. 39, 56 – via Google Books.
  6. Trade: A Journal for Retail Merchants. May 16, 1906 – via Google Books.
  7. "Shoe Retailer and Boots and Shoes Weekly". May 16, 1908 – via Google Books.
  8. Industry, Chicago Association of Commerce and (May 16, 1922). Buyers' Guide and Industrial Directory of Chicago – via Google Books.
  9. Gould, John (May 17, 1995). Maine's Golden Road: A Memoir. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 9780393038064 – via Google Books.
  10. Wheeler, Edward Jewitt; Funk, Isaac Kaufman; Woods, William Seaver (May 16, 1913). The Literary Digest – via Google Books.
  11. The Shoe Workers' Journal. Boot and Shoe Workers' Union. May 16, 1920 – via Google Books.
  12. Company), Batten, firm, advertising agents, New York (1920 George Batten (May 16, 1920). Report, Convention of Clients of George Batten Company Incorporated, November 6-7, 1919, Hotel Commodore, New York. McGraw-Phillips Printing Company – via Google Books.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. The United States Patents Quarterly. Associated Industry Publications. May 16, 1944 – via Google Books.
  14. Made in the USA: The Complete Guide to America's Finest Products. National Press Books. March 23, 1993. p. 53. ISBN 9781882605019 – via Google Books.
  15. Miller, George; Ryan, Dorothy B.; Miller, Dorothy (May 16, 1976). Picture Postcards in the United States, 1893-1918. Crown Publishers. p. 78. ISBN 9780517524008 – via Google Books.
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