Chippewa boots started in 1901, originally known as the Chippewa Shoe Manufacturing Company, and was founded in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. The name for the falls originally comes from the Native American tribe of the region, one of the largest tribes north of Mexico. And with such a strong connection to the Chippewa tribe in that region, the Chippewa Shoe Manufacturing Company used a Native American as their logo for many years. When they started their company, their goal was to one day manufacture the finest boots and shoes in the United States. more
During their early days of a small warehouse still standing today, now in the National Register of Historic Places, the warehouse employed 175 people, producing as many as 1,200 pairs of boots a day—an amazing number for that day. These work boots were mainly used in the pulp and paper industry because of the need for thick-toed boots to protect these lumberjacks from saws, axes, and other tough equipment that they needed to make paper. The company sold only logger boots initially that were constructed of leather midsoles, spikes, and other things meant to assist loggers in tough weather situations. Although Chippewa started out selling work boots, they quickly expanded into new categories of boots—including motorcycle boots, casual boots, and other outdoor or winter boots needed for their growing customer base.
Chippewa is now known for being one of the oldest work boot companies in the US, with a reputation for manufacturing high-quality, durable and dependable boots. Though they continued to expand, in 1984, Chippewa Boots was acquired by Justin Brands, after which Justin Brands was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway.  Even though Chippewa is owned by a larger corporation, they still adhere to the original beliefs and integrity that the company was founded on over a 100 years ago.
The company takes prides in their continued use of American design and manufacturing to meet the demands of their customers.