In 1905, Charles Beckman, a successful local shoe merchant, created the Red Wing Shoe Company with 14 other investors. The first generation of shoe making craftsmen cut Red Wing's heavy weight leather by hand. The original Red Wing Shoe plant was located on the corner of Main Street and Potter. In 1952, the 877 was introduced. The leather’s colour mirrored the coat of an Irish Setter. In 1964, A second plant opened in Red Wing, just three miles away from the original facility. In 2005, Red Wing celebrated its centennial anniversary. A size 638 ½ D boot was built in honour of the milestone, standing 16 feet tall and weighing 2,300 pounds, qualifying it for a Guinness World Record.