A really big ‘shoe’ traces origin of footwear

Every new invention begins with one person who has the courage to say, “Why not?”

As an homage to those souls who have dared to dream, imagine and engineer, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has unveiled its spotless new museum,  “SHOES: Innovations at Your Feet.”

The exhibit showcases the history of patented footwear, the history of the production of shoes, and countless other inventions that have served to make feet faster, more comfortable, more stylish, and more entertaining.

The museum features exhibits organized by the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The cool, modern tower is an elegant backdrop to the state of the art museum that incorporates artifacts, clearly articulated text, and a video tour guide into the exhibition. From Ball Band woolen boots, to the first shoe lasts, to the machine that began to automate shoe production invented by Jan Matzeliger, the exhibit is comprehensive and straightforward.

It also leaves the visitor thinking to themselves, “I could have invented that.”

“The National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation has long enjoyed its relationship with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” said Rini Paiva, a spokesperson for the National Hall of Fame Foundation. “We’re especially pleased to be able to design and develop the exhibits for the USPTO museum, as it gives us the opportunity to share the intriguing stories of an array of inventors and celebrate the innovations they’ve created.  Honoring inventors is important to us, and the venue at the USPTO museum is an ideal way to do so.”

Familiar names
The footwear powerhouses that sponsor this particular exhibit include New Balance, Sperry and Timberland.

The shoes exhibit features familiar brands and products, all of which began with an inventor filing paper work with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Keds athletic shoes, Bron-shoe (the company that has transformed a baby’s first shoes into a bronze memory for almost a century), Nike Air Technology (developed in 1978 and changed the way athletes train and perform around the world) are just some of the inventions that are profiled in the exhibit.

The exhibit features 3-D Bark’n Boots from Ruffwear, which are all weather boots for dogs to protect their paws. The exhibit profiles Salvatore Capezio who had a business across the street from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, and was inspired by the ballerinas he saw every day to create more durable and comfortable ballet shoes. The exhibit features the fireman’s boots developed by the BF Goodrich Company that provide protection and traction to firefighters around the world.

The exhibit also profiles the blue shoe covers from Cardinal Health that keep hospitals pristine and germ free. And the museum goes on to profile products from Timberland, Hushpuppies, Dr. Scholl’s, Sperry, Yaktrax and many others. All of these products began with an invention and have gone on to become revenue generating brands, trends and fashions.

There are about 7,500 people employed by the Patent and Trademark Office, with an aggressive hiring plan that will add about 4,000 more employees over the next 4-5 years. The US Patent and Trademark Office provide about 170,000 new patents a year out of a total of 400,000 patent applications.

The atrium is used for special events and parties, but also is a stunning stop on any visit to this area of town. The museum is easily accessed by the King Street Metro Stop, and has visitor parking nearby. The atrium features a peaceful waterfall and comfortable seating. The museum admission is free and there is a cafeteria nearby that is open until 2 p.m., and a coffee shop that stays open until 3 p.m.

According to Brigid Quinn, the deputy director of public affairs at The United States Patent and Trademark Museum, “This exhibit is our second one in the museum space. The goal is to show how the small conveniences that we all take for granted such as shoes and shoe technology have all begun with the creative mind and spirit of one person, or one team of people. Any invention that is new, useful and non obvious, qualifies for a patent. To receive a patent, an inventor must file paperwork, and all of the information for how to file this is located on the website, www.uspto.gov.”