Stories of Ordinary Objects w/ Smith-McDowell Museum

Details
Sat, Nov 28, 2020
2020-11-28T00:00:00-05:00
2020-11-29T00:00:00-05:00
This event has already occurred.
Online
Free
Contact
Western North Carolina Historical Association
(828) 253-9231
Information

Wooden Shoe Lasts

The last is the soul of a shoe. Apart from selecting the leather, there are few elements of the shoemaking process that are more impactful on the end result than the crafting of a last. Originally hand carved by cordwainers, i.e. bespoke shoemakers, using hardwoods like maple or beech, most lasts today are made up of a high-density plastic that is 100% recyclable and more suited for mass production.

For several hundred years – if not longer – the foot-shaped last has been an essential tool of the shoemaker’s trade. According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, the word ‘last’ is derived from the Old English ‘læste’, meaning ‘to follow’.

Today, we are used to seeing a pair of lasts, closely resembling a left and right foot. However, as late as the 1850s, most shoes were made on absolutely straight lasts, with no recognizable difference between the two shoes.

Read more about the life of a shoemaker named George Morris, who was enslaved by the Smith family, in our Deep Dive into Archives virtual exhibit.

George, Louisa, and William Morris