Early footwear were side-seam moccasins with soft
bottoms.
This pair has beaded bear paw designs on the vamps. The privilege
to put a pictographic symbol on clothing had to have been earned in some
manner. These are male moccasins with high tops that were allowed to fold
down to the ground, the style of the early 1800’s. The welts are with red
trade cloth sewn into the stitching. In winter, the footwear consisted of
winter hair moccasins or a reddish grass was stuffed into the moccasins to
add insulation. The buckskin moccasins were no protection against the
prickly pear cactus. Accounts in the Lewis and Clark journals tell about
adding extra soles to the moccasins in an attempt to deter cactus spines
from poking through the leather. During constant use, moccasins wore out
quickly. At times, the Corps members made new moccasins every two days when
traveling through rocky terrain. During the winter at Fort Clatsop, 300
pairs of moccasins were made for the return trip back home!
This pair has beaded bear paw designs on the vamps. The privilege
to put a pictographic symbol on clothing had to have been earned in some
manner. These are male moccasins with high tops that were allowed to fold
down to the ground, the style of the early 1800’s. The welts are with red
trade cloth sewn into the stitching. In winter, the footwear consisted of
winter hair moccasins or a reddish grass was stuffed into the moccasins to
add insulation. The buckskin moccasins were no protection against the
prickly pear cactus. Accounts in the Lewis and Clark journals tell about
adding extra soles to the moccasins in an attempt to deter cactus spines
from poking through the leather. During constant use, moccasins wore out
quickly. At times, the Corps members made new moccasins every two days when
traveling through rocky terrain. During the winter at Fort Clatsop, 300
pairs of moccasins were made for the return trip back home!