Edward Snelgrove Boot Shop

Edward Snelgrove built a boot shop in downtown Salt Lake City, UT, where he crafted and repaired leather footwear. Quality shoes and boots were hard to come by in Utah Territory, and Snelgrove ran a prosperous business for years. 

Did you know?

• As late as the 1850s, shoes were made of straight lasts, meaning there was absolutely no difference between the left and right shoes. Only after you had worn your shoes for a while, breaking them in to fit your foot, was there a clear left and right shoe.

• In 1845, the Rolling Machine was invented, which helped increase wear by compacting fibers. This replaced the old method of pounding leather with a hammer and lapstone.