Interior of a Shoe Factory, 1908. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Interior of a Shoe Factory, 1908. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
In the early to middle 1800s, the upper portions of shoes were hand-sewn in homes. This was part of a "put-out system" where pre-cut leather was sent into private homes to stitch into shoe uppers. Completed uppers were transported to factories and finished by workers attaching the soles of the shoe.
Later, with advanced machinery, workers produced all components of shoes in factories as seen in this photograph. This level of industrialization marked the end of the widespread apprenticeship system in America.